The Dunwoody Homeowner Association’s (DHA) 4th of July Parade celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend, which coincided with the nation’s 250th birthday.
As one of the largest July 4 parades in Georgia, thousands turned out on a warm Saturday morning in Dunwoody to cheer a record-setting number of participants. This year, those marching included bands, dinosaurs, dozens of floats, and political candidates.
DHA community liaison Scott Wilkinson said a “seasoned bunch” of volunteers kept floats moving steadily at the parade.
“The weather gave us a break, and even the spectators at the end of the parade stayed for the whole thing,” Wilkinson said. “There were more people participating than we’ve seen before. I think nearly everyone in Dunwoody was either in the parade or watching it.”
Record crowd
The DHA, the city government, and the Dunwoody Police Department worked in tandem to ensure the parade went off without a hitch. Last year, a crash during the parade injured several participants, resulting in the filing of criminal misdemeanor charges against two people.
Ahead of the 2026 parade, volunteers worked on a revamp of the rules and guidelines for safer participation and viewing along the route.
“Even after walking the entire distance, everyone entered [Dunwoody] Village with broad smiles and waving flags,” Wilkinson said.
To represent this year’s theme of “Honoring the Past, Marching into the Future,” the DHA selected community nonprofit The Dunwoody Preservation Trust as grand marshal.
Parade co-chairs Matt Weber and Penny Forman spearheaded the community effort.
“We also made a real point this year of highlighting veterans, given it’s the 250th anniversary of the country,” Weber said. “I heard from more people about that than almost anything else. Spectators love the veterans and bands.”
Weber said the Mount Vernon Road march itself couldn’t have happened without Forman, who headed off for a well-deserved vacation after the holiday weekend.
Jimmy and Leah Economos of EEP Events also set a sponsorship record for 2026, crucial to the funding of the annual parade. Rough Draft Atlanta was a presenting sponsor.
“Even though it was hot, it wasn’t 100-degree days like last week, and it all came together for what a lot of longtime attendees called the best one yet,” Weber said. “And on the entries side, the Lawn Chair Brigade was back, which we loved to see.”
Parade winners by category
Music
1) Spirit of Atlanta
2) ATL CV Drum and Bugle Corps
3) Dunwoody High School Band
Spirit
1) Stayin’ Alive
2) DHS Football’s American flag
3) Precision Lawn Chair Team
Car
1) Dr. Z’s Fleet
2) Corvettes
3) Dunwoody Rotary Club
Float
1) Dinowoody
2) Veterans Tribute of Savannah
3) Funwoody
Overall
1) Dinowoody
