South County Fourth of July parade canceled in The Woodlands for 2020

The day after The Woodlands Township board of directors discussed replacing its annual July 4 celebration with a drive-in fireworks concept, another organization on May 22 announced its patriotic summer event will not be held this year.

In a news release shared by the township, the South County 4th of July Committee and Market Street announced its 44th annual "Stars and Stripes Forever" Fourth of July parade will be canceled this year due to coronavirus concerns.

"Due the potential of over 20,000 spectators and 200 volunteers gathering along the parade route through Town Center and Market Street, holding the parade would not be in the best interest of health and safety for our community," according to the news release.

The 2021 parade is expected to be held as usual, organizers said. The parade route on the event website begins at Grogan's Mill Drive and Lake Woodlands Drive, continues down Lake Robbins Drive and circles back to the beginning.

The committee, comprised of nine volunteers, partners with The Woodlands Township to hold the event. According to the release, the event began in the late 1970s as an effort of The Woodlands Lions Club, and the current committee was formed in the early 1990s.

Information about the parade can be found at its website www.4thofjuly.org.