[Spokane, WA] The Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA) announces the award recipients of the 2025 ‘To Spokane, With Love’ Armed Forces Torchlight Parade. Presented by Signature Sponsor BECU, this year’s parade saw 160 units participate with nearly 10,000 marching.

The parade took place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, bringing the 87th annual Spokane Lilac Festival to a triumphant close. The theme of this year’s Festival is “To Spokane, With Love”, a celebration of the love the SLFA volunteers have had for the Lilac City since its inception in 1938.

Float judging took place at 4th Ave. and Jefferson St. Saturday morning. The following are the winners in the Float category:

Lilac Sweepstakes Award (Best Overall Community Float):
Freeman

Queen’s Award (Best in Population 500-2,000)
1st Place:  Manson
2nd Place: Tekoa
3rd Place:  Ritzville

President’s Award (Best in Population 2,000-30,000):
1st Place:  Prosser
2nd Place: Sunnyside
3rd Place:  Deer Park

Grand Marshall Award (Best in Population 30,000-650,000):
1st Place:  Capital Lakefair
2nd Place:  Valleyfest
3rd Place:  Wenatchee – Washington Apple Blossom Festival

Torchlight Awards (Best Lighting):
1st Place:  Wenatchee – Washington Apple Blossom Festival
2nd Place:  Lewis & Clark High School Marching Band
3rd Place:  Oroville

Richard Logerwell Memorial Award (Float Builders Choice):
Sunnyside

For the Band judging, judges were located along the parade route in downtown Spokane to adjudicate entries. The following bands (in performance order) earned the Lilac “Gold” Award for their outstanding performance in the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade.  The adjudicators evaluated eleven categories under the headings of Music, Marching, and General Effect to determine if each band reached this high standard:

Ferris High School
North Central High School
Mercer Island High School
Reardan Marching Band
Mountainside Middle School
Lewis & Clark High School
University and West Valley Combined
Redmond High School
Mt. Spokane High School
Liberty High School
Ridgeline High School
Mead High School
Shadle Park High School
Freeman High School
Bellingham High School
Rogers High School
Cheney High School

Last, awards were also handed out for the Equestrian units:

Community Award: 
Ellensburg Rodeo Posse

Specialty Award: 
Pendleton Round Up Royalty

Royalty Award: 
Miss Gem State Stampede

Pooper Scooper Award: 
Miss Spokane Interstate Rodeo

Michael E. Dedmon Memorial Award of Excellence: 
Miss Spokane Interstate Rodeo

Evelyn Jones “Best In Show” Award:
Miss Omak Stampede

Congratulations to all the winners! And thank you to all who participated in the 2025 ‘To Spokane, With Love’ Armed Forces Torchlight Parade! We look forward to seeing the community out for the 88th annual Spokane Lilac Festival, May 9-16, 2026.