Philadelphia Parade to Feature Miss America, State Ambassadors

Miss America 2026 Cassie Donegan and all 52 Miss America State Ambassadors will gather in Philadelphia to participate in the Salute to Independence Parade. The parade will take place on Friday, July 3, in Philadelphia, commemorating 250 years of American independence.

Presented as part of the Wawa Welcome America festival, a 16-day Fourth of July celebration, the Salute to Independence Parade will feature 250 entries representing all 50 states and U.S. territories. According to the Miss America organization, highlights of the parade include 50 marching bands, 13 floats, military units, special performers, and appearances by Miss America State Ambassadors.

Parade attendees will witness the Ambassadors travel down the parade route in glamorous evening gowns and shoes, celebrating Miss America's highly anticipated “Show Us Your Shoes” tradition.

“The tradition dates back to the 1970s, when Miss America parade spectators noticed delegates wearing slippers — or no shoes at all — and famously called out, 'Show us your shoes!' Delegates lifted their feet in response, sparking a joyful moment that became one of the organization's most iconic and enduring traditions," the release noted.

The semiquincentennial celebration continues this fall during the Miss America Competition. State Ambassadors will return to the runway at the Miss America Gala, which will be held during its national competition week. The shoes will be on display to the public throughout the week at the Miss America EXPO.

Keep up with the latest news on Miss America's activities to mark the semiquincentennial of the United States on the organization's website.