by Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director
Every year about this time, the calls start coming in. “Is the June Dairy Parade happening this year?” And every year the answer is the same as it’s been for the last six and a half decades: Yes, on the fourth Saturday in June!
This year June Dairy Parade lands on Saturday, June 25. We are celebrating the 65th year of this beloved community tradition with the theme, “Cheddar Days are Here Again.”
After two years of switching between an “inside out” parade, then a last-minute “regular” parade, we are happy to confidently say that this year’s event will follow a traditional process. Our spectators will grab a seat along the parade route as floats, dancers, horses and other parade staples head north up Main Avenue, around the junction of Highway 101 and Highway 6, down Pacific Avenue then east on Third Street.
If you would like to be in the parade, please submit your parade entry application by June 6 at junedairyparade.com. It’s a simple form that takes less than 5 minutes to complete. We want to grow the number of entries and participants this year to make the parade the biggest and best it can be. So envision what better days look like for you, make it cheesy, and design your float!
We’re also bringing back the tradition of selecting a Grand Marshal for the parade. (We’d put that process on pause the last two years as we tweaked the event to fit pandemic regulations).
As a reminder, here’s how the Grand Marshal selection process works: Community members nominate someone from the dairy industry they think would be a good fit, then a small committee reviews the nominations and selects one for Grand Marshal.
We do require that the Grand Marshal comes from the dairy industry because, well, it’s the June Dairy Parade, and we are celebrating June Dairy Month. But other than that, there are no specific requirements for the position. The selection committee also gives weight to past community involvement as a leader and volunteer.
To nominate a Grand Marshal, visit tillamookchamber.org/june-dairy-grand-marshal and submit the form. You can also find a link to the form at junedairyparade.com. Nominations are due by May 31, so we have time to contact the Grand Marshal and get the parade on their summer calendar.
Speaking of, have you blocked out the parade date on your calendar yet? Whether you’re building a float or simply watching as they go by, we hope you’ll join us on June 25. It’s going to be a great year to celebrate the dairy industry — and everything else that makes Tillamook County a special place to live, work and play — together as one community. After all, Cheddar Days are Here Again!