Auburn celebrates America’s 250th birthday

Published 10:27 am Tuesday, July 7, 2026

The City of Auburn’s Parks, Arts and Recreation department celebrated America’s 250th birthday with their annual 4th of July festival on Saturday at Les Gove Park.

The event featured several vendors, activities and kinds of entertainment for community residents of all ages. From a rock climbing wall to a car show, the park was packed with many kinds of fun opportunities.

Auburn’s Police Department was present and handed out stickers, flags and gave community members a chance to talk to officers.

In a Facebook post the department shared, “thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello, meet our officers, ask questions and spend part of your holiday with us.”

“We loved connecting with so many members of our community and seeing all the smiling faces throughout the day,” the statement said.

Amanda Valdez, the city’s Department of Parks, Arts and Recreation’s special events coordinator, commented on her favorite part of the festival.

“My favorite part of the event this year was the Vuleta La Luna Circus. They brought out fun games, were interactive with the crowd, and put on a great show,” she said. “The car show looked awesome this year as well. We had over 160 cars on-site.”

Auburn residents filled up the park at 910 Ninth St. SE.

“It’s rewarding to see families throughout the park sharing food, stories, and enjoying the music, attractions, and entertainment the event has to offer. The weather was also perfect this year which helped with the overall positive vibes,” Valdez said.

Although a large portion of the event was free, this year, the city pre-sold wristbands for access to all attractions. If purchased prior to the day of the event, the wristbands were sold at a discounted rate.

“We do our best to provide a positive, fun, and low-cost experience to our community,” Valdez said.