BELLE FOURCHE—The Black Hills Roundup Parade is a popular Fourth of July tradition in Belle Fourche. Beginning long before the morning of the parade, bleachers begin going up in random areas around town along the parade route. Areas are cordoned off to save space, and lawn chairs are dropped off to hold spots along the route and ensure locals get the space they want.
Once July Fourth finally arrives, spectators line up along the approximately two-mile parade route to watch the floats, listen to the music, catch candy and prizes and dodge the water spray.
There are often dignitaries riding in the parade along with class reunion floats, horses and royalty. Frequent participants in the parade, Governor Larry Rhoden and First Lady Sandy Rhoden, have attended the Belle Fourche Parade every year he has been in office. Sandy shared that there are many other parades in South Dakota on Independence Day, but Belle Fourche has the best parade of them all!
The theme “Home of the Brave, Range of the Free” gave parade competitors plenty of inspiration to dress themselves or decorate their floats. With 155 floats, the 107th Annual Fourth of July Parade was a spectacular, colorful celebration of patriotism and western heritage.
The Center of the Nation VFW Post 3312 was this year’s Parade Marshal, and the Color Guard was the 842nd Engineer Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard. Stationed along the route were announcers Curt Westland, Bryton Oedekoven, Jim Kallas and Jack Verry. They kept the parade moving along and the crowd informed and entertained.
New this year was a trial run to keep the wet floats and the dry floats separated from each other, so that anyone who didn’t want to get wet would have a chance to move or leave the area before the floats with water guns, hoses and/or balloons were released. A fire truck moved along the route with a big banner warning that the wet floats were behind it. “It seemed to have gone well. I’ve heard good feedback about it,” said Tessa Eaton, Parade Chairman. “I’m assuming we will continue doing that going forward.”
Parade judges Ashley Pearson and Emily Olson picked winners for each category.
Winners for the 2026 Black Hills Roundup Parade
McClure Ranch Memorial Award (best depicts this year’s parade theme)—Peterson 601 Homestead
Faye Kennedy Memorial Award (most patriotic entry)—American Colloid Company, a Minerals Technologies Company
Eva Hanify Rail Memorial Grand Marshal Award (entry best representing our western heritage—awarded by the Grand Marshal)—TC Outfit
Historic Horse Drawn Wagon/Buggy—Brian Kline Funeral Home
Religious Organization—N/A
Business Float—Carr Coatings
Organization—Naja Clown Patrol
Band—SuFuDu Drumline
Youth Group—Kids & Cops
Riding Club (horse)—VLW Ranch
Reunion/Generation Float—The Haywire Logger
Riding Group (motorized)—Black Hills Classic CarsPa
Best Dressed Western Youth (12 and under)—Young Riders 4H Club
Musical Float—Belle Fourche Cowboy Band
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