Corte Madera & Larkspur Fourth of July Parade & Festival
Larkspur & Corte Madera · Parade / Festival / Family
Corte Madera & Larkspur Fourth of July Parade & Festival — Marin County's Most Beloved Independence Day Celebration
Some Fourth of July celebrations feel manufactured — crowds herded toward a distant fireworks display, food trucks in a parking lot, a perfunctory patriotism that evaporates the moment the traffic clears. And then there is the Corte Madera and Larkspur Fourth of July Parade and Festival — a beloved Marin County tradition as American as apple pie, a full day of small-town celebration that reminds you what Independence Day was always supposed to feel like. The annual celebration is one of the biggest Fourth of July events in Marin, drawing approximately 15,000 people annually — families, longtime locals, and first-timers alike who line the parade route with lawn chairs and American flags and spend the rest of the afternoon in the sunshine at Corte Madera Town Park.
This is a genuinely old-fashioned Fourth of July. And in the best possible way.
The Parade — From Redwood High to Corte Madera Town Center
The July 4th parade kicks off at 10:30 AM from Redwood High School and winds through downtown Larkspur via Doherty Drive and Magnolia Street, through Old Corte Madera Square to Tamalpais Drive, passing Corte Madera Town Park before ending at Corte Madera Town Center at approximately 12:30 PM. The route winds through the hearts of two neighboring communities — connecting Larkspur and Corte Madera in a shared celebration that reflects the genuine bond between these twin cities of central Marin.
The parade features the Famous Corte Madera Town Band, the McIntosh Pipe Band, the Freedom Band, and more — a musical procession that anchors the parade in real community tradition rather than hired fanfare. The Corte Madera Town Band in particular has become a beloved institution in its own right — the sound of that brass rounding the corner onto Magnolia is one of the most immediately recognizable signals of summer in Marin County. The parade also features decorated floats, community organizations, school groups, local officials, and the kind of exuberant, unpolished Americana that a community produces when it actually means what it is celebrating.
The Festival — All Day at Corte Madera Town Park
Accompanying festivities take place at Corte Madera Town Park from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM — a full day of food, music, art, and community that stretches the celebration well past the parade and into a long, glorious July afternoon. The festival has something genuine for every member of the family.
Live Music fills the main stage from early afternoon through the end of the event — with performers like Mercy and the Heartbeats delivering live entertainment from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Past lineups have included Wonderbread 5, J. Silverheels, and other crowd-pleasing Bay Area acts who know exactly how to keep a Fourth of July audience on its feet.
The Marketplace brings together a large selection of artists and artisans including fine art, photography, pottery, jewelry, and glassware — transforming the festival grounds into a genuine outdoor gallery alongside the carnival atmosphere, giving art lovers something meaningful to browse between musical sets and food runs.
Food is everything a proper Independence Day spread should be — Pig in a Pickle, World Wrapps, Lion's Club hot dogs, Stefano's pizza, and Lappert's Ice Cream all making appearances, with the Boy Scouts and local service organizations adding their own beloved contributions to the mix. The Lions Club hot dogs alone have their own devoted annual following.
Children's Activities ensure the youngest members of the family are never at a loss for something to do — zip lines, obstacle courses, carnival games, bounce houses, arts and crafts booths, face painting, and tattoo stations keeping kids entertained through the full stretch of the afternoon while the adults enjoy the music, the wine, and the sunshine.
A Tradition With Deep Roots in the Community
The Corte Madera Fourth of July celebration has been part of the town's identity for decades — documented in community archives going back to the early 2000s and beyond, with generations of Marin families having their own specific traditions built around this specific day. Presented by the Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce and driven by an army of local volunteers and sponsors, the event is a genuine community production — not an outside promoter rolling in for the day, but the town putting on its best face for itself and its neighbors.
In a world of increasingly commercialized holiday events, the Corte Madera and Larkspur Fourth of July is a reminder that the best celebrations are the ones that a community builds and owns for itself.
Parade begins: Redwood High School, Larkspur, CA 94939 Festival: Corte Madera Town Park & Town Center, Corte Madera, CA 94925 Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce: (415) 924-0441 · chamber@cortemadera.org · cortemadera.org
Annual event held every July 4th · Parade begins 10:30 AM · Street closures from 10:00 AM · Festival runs 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM · Free to attend
Pro Tip: Stake out your parade spot on Magnolia Avenue in downtown Larkspur by 9:30 AM — the shaded spots under the trees along the route go fast, and arriving early means you can grab coffee from a local café, settle in with your lawn chair, and enjoy the neighborhood energy before the parade begins. After the parade, walk or drive straight to Corte Madera Town Park for the festival — the main stage music and food booths are at their liveliest in the hour right after the parade ends. Don't skip Lappert's Ice Cream — it's a Fourth of July tradition unto itself.