by Jonathan Swindle On October 3, 2026, Shoreline Blvd. by Water’s Edge Park fills up with color again. Staging starts at 2:00 PM, and the parade steps off at 4:30 PM, right along the water. There’s something about watching this parade with the bay behind it — the light, the breeze off the water, the crowd lining the seawall — that makes it feel like it belongs to this city and nowhere else. It’s free to watch, so bring your people and find a spot along the route.
Leading the Way
This year’s Grand Marshal is Brittany Andrews, joined by Ellison Powers as Emerging Leader Grand Marshal. Johnny Hotcakes and Kitana Sanchez are back on the mic as parade MCs, keeping the energy up from staging through step-off.
Walking, Riding, or Rolling With Us
The parade is open to a wide range of groups — commercial businesses, sponsors, nonprofits of every size, entertainment and performance groups, faith-based organizations, political candidates, school clubs, and solo walkers and families. Entry is free for school groups, families walking, performers, and sponsors; other categories pay an entry fee. Applications stay open until September 30, 2026, so if you’ve been thinking about entering, now’s the time to sort out your group and get it in. Last year, 30 entries and around 405 marchers made their way down Shoreline — it would be good to see that grow. Full details and the entry form are on the parade page.
After the Parade
Once the parade wraps, the celebration moves to the Great Lawn at Water’s Edge Park for a block party running from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. More than 25 drag performers take the stage that evening, so plan to stay a while after the last marchers pass.
Thank you to Hicks Family Subaru, our title sponsor, along with AEP and GCGV, for helping make this day possible. Whether you’re watching from the curb for the first time or you’ve been coming out every year since the beginning, there’s a place for you on Shoreline this October.