MENDOCINO CO., 7/4/25 – Thousands of visitors flocked to the coastal town of Mendocino on the Fourth of July for one of Northern California’s most popular community celebrations, highlighted by the town’s annual Independence Day parade, organized by the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce.
The parade, which in the past featured creatively wacky floats and contingents, began with a siren from the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department, signaling the crowd to clear the streets. The color guard from U.S. Coast Guard Station in Noyo River led the procession, followed by emergency vehicles, their sirens blaring, from several regional fire departments.
The first wave of the parade honored this year’s grand marshal: members of Corners of the Mouth, a natural food store founded in 1976 by a workers’ collective. The popular store, which is still a collective, is housed in a former 19th-century Baptist church and known for its focus on organic, locally sourced food.
According to Janice Littrell, executive director of the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce, the 2025 parade, themed “Life in Mendocino,” also honored a group of longtime community institutions celebrating major anniversaries, all of which had representatives marching along the parade route, including:
- The Kelley House Museum celebrating 50 years
- Harvest Market, an independently owned grocery celebrating 50 years
- Winesong, Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation’s annual fundraising event, celebrating 40 years
- Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center celebrating 40 years
- Mendocino Masonic Lodge No. 179 celebrating 160 years
Each organization was recognized for its decades of service and contributions to the Mendocino Coast community.
This year the parade had a more sober aspect, as the largest contingent by far was Indivisible Mendocino, an advocacy group demonstrating against the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration.
On that note, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who represents California’s 2nd Congressional District, was scheduled to attend this year but was unable to make the trip. “He could not attend,” said Jez Anderson, Huffman’s field representative who attended on the congressman’s behalf. “The congressman was busy in Washington, D.C., and could not get away in time.”
More than a parade
During and following the parade, celebrations continued throughout the day at Rotary Park, where visitors enjoyed live music, food, and craft vendors. The festivities extended to the lawn party at the historic Kelley House Museum, a prime location for viewing the parade. Attendees danced to music from DJ BeetRoot while enjoying grilled food and a variety of beverages, alcoholic and otherwise.
The celebration concluded with a lively street party outside Frankie’s Pizza and Ice Cream, featuring more music, dancing, and community spirit.
Parade Winners
Three parade judges—Janis McDonald, Ian Roth, and Scott Connelly—reviewed more than 40 entries. Winners in each category are listed below:
Best Animal
- Stuffed Bears
- Marine Mammal Center
Most Creative
- Gertie the Gorse Monster
- Petaluma Chicken Pluckers
- Maids of Honor
Most Patriotic
- Indivisible Mendocino
- Comptche Fire Department
- Elk Volunteer Fire Department
Best Band
- Old Growth Jazz Club
- Mendocino County Safe Space Project
Best Vehicle
- Not Enough Time
- Paul Bunyan Days
- Jim’s Electric Miata
Best Youth
- Mendocino Coast Junior Lifeguards
- Mendocino Parents for Peace
- Lucas Gibney’s 10th Birthday
Scroll down for more photos and happy Fourth of July from The Mendocino Voice!
Great photos! I was there and I cannot tell which one was Lucas Gibney’s birthday. Was it the group of gymnasts? or…?
Looks to have been more of a protest than a 4th of July Independence Day parade. Rise Above Politics Christ is the only King.
I love it! Great reporting on a great celebration of America’s heartbeat.
I think Jesus would support those marching to protect the hungry, the sick, the folks terrified about being picked up and sent to dangerous countries without due process. At least that’s the Jesus I grew up with and believe in.
No Jesus march with them! They have broken our laws and even in the Bible it tells you not to break the laws of the land yet they continue to do this. They are not godly people and we do know where this comes from and it’s not from God. Absolutely disgusted by the church that got involved here in Willits! I have no respect for them!
The parade in Willits was more traditional and uneventful when it comes to political protesting and carrying cardboard signs. Not one protester showed up. In fact, it was just like all the previous Independence Day events except for two noteworthy changes. 1. For your $25 ticket to the BBQ in Recreation Grove you got 2 chocolate chip cookies! 2. Even with the usual Mexican prancing horses there wasn’t a single Mexican flag displayed the entire day. Properly flown American flags were everywhere. America is becoming great again.
I hope so because I for one am sick and tired of the Mendocino voice and them being so left leaning and hypocritical. Thank you for saying what you did.
Meanwhile, in Mexico City, hundreds are protesting against gentrification and mass tourism by breaking into stores and restaurants. It almost looks like Los Angeles. So if any of our brave coastal elite protesters want to show us they got the nerve for it, head on down to Mexico City and wave Old Glory among the crowd of gringo haters. Show us you have the strength of your convictions. Yeah, I didn’t think so…
Absolutely Dave except it’s illegal for us to cross into their border since we are not Mexican citizens.
I think the local voice was correct when they said it looked like more of a political thing. I for one am getting sick and tired of you taking sides like this. You’re all over the freaking place about Donald Trump and he’s my president regardless of whether you accept him or not I don’t care but he is my president! I’m tired of you not telling the truth and sick and tired of political jargon like we see in this Mendocino voice. You never were like this when your paper was younger and you would print both sides to a story. I thank you have swamped as low as you can go and you will continue to do this and you will continue to lose readers! Stop being political especially on the internet. I guess now I know why you’re not on Facebook!
I use to enjoy going to the Mendocino 4th of July parades but it has become more of a protest then a parade and it seems like they are never happy with who the president is, the people have spoken and Trump is the president but you will never see them protesting all the stupid crap that newsom has pulled on the people of California
Newsom thinks he’s the king, with all the laws he putting on California, people will be complaining about gas prices when the two refineries leave because he keeps putting restrictions on them, telling people no more gas powered lawn equipment, and no gas powered cars.