Longstanding Parade Route to Change for 2026
SPOKANE, Wash. (Jan. 21, 2026) — The Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA), presenter of the Spokane Lilac Festival, announced today that applications for participation in the 2026 Armed Forces Torchlight Parade are now open.
The parade is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 2026, in downtown Spokane and is part of the broader Spokane Lilac Festival, a community celebration dating to 1938 that honors the military, empowers youth and showcases the region. Applications are also now available for the Junior Lilac Parade, which kicks off the annual festival on May 9.
“The Spokane Lilac Festival Association is excited to again host one of the nation’s largest armed forces parades, especially as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding,” said Monika Hawkinson, 2026 SLFA board president. Hawkinson, a teacher in Spokane Public Schools District 81 and the 1986 Lilac Festival Queen, is leading the festival under the 2026 theme, “Embrace.”
The Armed Forces Torchlight Parade is the centerpiece of the weeklong festival and features marching bands, military units, community organizations, specialty units and special guests. Since returning fully after pandemic shutdowns in 2022, the festival’s all-volunteer organizers have expanded events and adapted to evolving community needs, investing in parade-day activities including the annual Cruzin’ the Falls Car Show, Lilac Marketplace and Brewfest under the pavilion in Riverfront Park.
The association will soon announce the 2026 parade grand marshal and honorary grand marshal, along with additional special elements to celebrate the festival’s 88th year.
Parade Route Update
Parade organizers also announced a significant update to the longstanding parade route. Due to City of Spokane security and cost considerations, city officials have mandated a route this year that will be approximately 50% shorter than in previous years.
“If you have a family tradition of setting up chairs on First Avenue, you’ll need to find a new viewing location this year,” Hawkinson said. “While we are adjusting to the shortened route, our excitement for the Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade remains strong. This change will not stop us from delivering a vibrant, fun and memorable festival for the Lilac City.”
For further details regarding the decision to reduce the parade route, contact city administration at mayor@spokanecity.org.
Applications for the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade and Junior Lilac Parade, as well as registration for the car show and marketplace, are available at www.spokanelilacfestival.org.
The Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA) is a 501c3 nonprofit community organization established in 1946. Each May the SLFA hosts communities from across the Pacific Northwest for the annual Lilac Festival culminating in the nation’s largest Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on Armed Forces Day. SLFA Directors and the Royal Court of seven high school seniors selected from among Spokane County’s 31 area high schools travel across the northwest each summer with the festival float, serving as ambassadors of Spokane to the region and beyond. To learn more about the SLFA visit www.spokanelilacfestival.org.
