Salute the colors at the 2011 Carnation Fourth of July parade, themed “It’s a Grand Old Flag”

The parade gets started with the traditional children’s parade, at 10:30 a.m. down Tolt Avenue. All children are welcome, and are asked to meet with decorated bikes and wagons, or just their smiling selves, across from QFC for the start of the parade. Children march in opposite direction of the main parade, bikes up front so they don’t bump into anybody.

The main parade follows at 11 a.m. This year, the board of the Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance will judge the parade. They rank entries on a scale of 1 to 5, and winners receive ribbons.

Sign-in starts at 8 a.m. and entrants need to arrive by 10 a.m. The start area is at Tolt Congregational Church.

Typically, some 40 entries take part, and the parade lasts about an hour.

Entry winners can be found at www.carnation4th.org/parade.htm