Sioux Falls Independence Day Parade Committee Announces Entrants
6/26/2026
The Sioux Falls Independence Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce that 90 area businesses, community organizations, elected officials (past, present and future), and distinguished individuals from a variety of backgrounds will be marching in the semiquincentennial Sioux Falls Independence Day Parade.
We are proud of the fact that this year's parade entries (listed alphabetically below) represent the tremendous diversity of the Sioux Falls community, and we are confident that this historic celebration will be a rare and timely opportunity to celebrate what unites us as Americans, rather than fixate on minor divisions.
The parade float judged "Best Parade Presentation" will receive a free dinner courtesy of Pizza Ranch.
And that's not all: through our Food Truck Madness event in the Raven parking lot (happening concurrently with the parade), we will feature a number of local food trucks as well a live music stage. Dance and music groups include Drums of Liberty, The Brassholes, Asian Taiko Drum players, the Celtic Steps, Yo-Yo Champion Ty Duffy, and The LNZ Rock-n-Roll Band. You can vote for your favorite food truck on the Sioux Falls Independence Parade facebook page.
Face painting will also be available next to Fernson Brewing Company on Phillips Avenue starting at 9AM.
The Sioux Falls Independence Day Parade Committee is honored to have Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Michael J. Fitzmaurice as this year's Grand Marshal. The committee is also pleased to feature Darwin Wolf, the sculptor of a statue of Fitzmaurice (featured in Downtown Sioux Falls), in the parade. More information about Fitzmaurice is located at the bottom of this page.
★ 13th U.S. Infantry, Co. D (Civil War Reenacting Group)
★ America 250/South Dakota 250 (Chairman)
★ American Legion Post 15 Sioux Falls
★ American Legion Riders Post 15 Chapter 2
★ AutoWerks
★ Baltic Volunteer Fire Department
★ Battleship South Dakota Memorial
★ BeeBop's Junk Removal
★ Bengs for South Dakota
★ Beth Hughes (1976 Miss South Dakota)
★ Bleyenberg, Bonander, and Hoffman for County Commission
★ Bob and Marie Riemersma - Brandon SD
★ Caleb Cushing Society Children of the American Revolution (CAR)
★ Catfish Bay (The Greatest Show on H2O)
★ Culver Shea Construction
★ Darwin Wolf, Fitzmaurice Statue Sculptor
★ District 9 Legislators
★ Doug Starr, 100 Year Old World War II Veteran
★ El Riad Director's Staff
★ El Riad Fife and Drum
★ El Riad Shrine Clowns
★ Former Mayor Dave Munson
★ Former Mayor Gary Hansen
★ Former Mayor Mike Huether
★ Friends of Curt Deedrich
★ Friends of Cole Heisey
★ Friends of Traditional Music - Sioux River Folk Festival
★ Get Fuel 2U
★ Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons
★ Groomer's Choice
★ Ground Speed Warriors
★ Heart2Heart Adoptions
★ Honorbound Motorcycle Ministry
★ Hy-Vee
★ KidStrong
★ Kriese Family
★ Leatherhelms
★ Les Schwab Tire Center
★ Little Misses Pageant Winners - Sponsored by First PREMIER Bank & Experience Sioux Falls
★ Lexis Willert & Associates, LLC - American Family Insurance
★ Mary Chilton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
★ Mayor Paul Tenhaken & Sioux Falls Mayor-Elect(s)
★ McCrossan Boys Ranch
★ Minnehaha County Democratic Party
★ Minnehaha County Republicans
★ Military Order of the Cootie - Post 628 Sioux Falls
★ Miranda at Genie Travel Company
★ Miss South Dakota USA - Lexus Paulson
★ Miss South Dakota Teen USA - Jasmine Jerke
★ Miss Siouxland - Rylin Yerdon
★ National American Miss - Stephanie Garcia
★ New Life Church
★ Ponderosa Senior Living Residence
★ Prairie Dog Portable Sanitation
★ Primerica
★ Ragtime Studios
★ Rep. Dusty Johnson
★ Reptile Adventure Zoo
★ Risty Benefits, Inc.
★ Rosenbauer America, LLC
★ Rhoden for Governor
★ SD Army National Guard
★ SD Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
★ Sons of the American Revolution
★ South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance
★ Sioux Empire Ghostbusters
★ Sioux Empire Fair
★ Sioux Falls Airshow
★ Sioux Falls Area Bernese Mountain Dogs
★ Sioux Falls Children's Choir
★ Sioux Falls Corvette Club
★ Sioux Falls Fireworks/Sunny Radio
★ Sioux Falls Snow Leopards
★ State Sen. Jack Kolbeck
★ StretchLab
★ Toby Doeden for South Dakota
★ The Brassholes - Sponsored by Experience Sioux Falls
★ The Dakota Scout
★ The East River Cigar Company
★ The Salvation Army
★ The Social Shuttle
★ The Table Ministry
★ Tim Schwebach, US Coast Guard Veteran
★ Troop 361
★ Trail Life
★ United States Submarine Veterans
★ U.S. Naval Sea Cadets - Battleship South Dakota Division
★ VFW Post 628
★ Vietnamese-American Community of Sioux Falls
About the Grand Marshal
Michael J. Fitzmaurice received the Congressional Medal of Honor for displaying conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.
Sp4c. Fitzmaurice, 3d Platoon, Troop D, distinguished himself at Khesanh. Sp4c. Fitzmaurice and three fellow soldiers were occupying a bunker when a company of North Vietnamese sappers infiltrated the area. At the onset of the attack Sp4c. Fitzmaurice observed three explosive charges which had been thrown into the bunker by the enemy. Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades, and with complete disregard for his personal safety, he hurled two of the charges out of the bunker. He then threw his flak vest and himself over the remaining charge. By this courageous act he absorbed the blast and shielded his fellow soldiers.
Although suffering from serious multiple wounds and partial loss of sight, he charged out of the bunker and engaged the enemy until his rifle was damaged by the blast of an enemy hand grenade. While in search of another weapon, Sp4c. Fitzmaurice encountered and overcame an enemy sapper in hand-to-hand combat. Having obtained another weapon, he returned to his original fighting position and inflicted additional casualties on the attacking enemy. While seriously wounded, Sp4c. Fitzmaurice refused to be medically evacuated, preferring to remain at his post.
Sp4c. Fitzmaurice's extraordinary heroism in action at the risk of his life contributed significantly to the successful defense of the position and resulted in saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. These acts of heroism go above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect great credit on Sp4c. Fitzmaurice and the U.S. Army.
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Sioux Falls Independence Day Parade Committee
Contact: sfindependenceparade@gmail.com