White Rock parade and carnival return for Fourth of July tradition

White Rock’s children’s parade and carnival will return to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 366 Grand Canyon Drive, opening the community’s Fourth of July morning with a 10 a.m. flag ceremony and a parade around the block. The Los Alamos Police Department and Los Alamos Fire Department will lead the procession.

Children are encouraged to decorate bikes, trikes, strollers, wagons, scooters and other small parade rides before joining the route. JROTC will perform the flag ceremony, and the colors have also been carried in past years by Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from area units, as well as by Trail Life and American Heritage Girls Troop 1412 in 2024. The parade is a children’s bike parade with riders and walkers.

After the parade, the free carnival will spread onto the church lawn with popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, games, prizes, a fishing booth, bean bag toss, face painting, pop-a-shot, a dunk tank, a bubble pit and other inflatables. The event began more than 40 years ago as a small neighborhood celebration and has grown to draw about 1,000 people.

Los Alamos County lists the 2026 4th of July Spectacular at Overlook Park from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4, with music, activities, vendors and more, and says there will be no fireworks this year because of Stage 2 fire restrictions.