Roswell Youth Day parade and celebration: route, times, parking

Roswell's Frances McGahee Youth Day parade steps off at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of October. The 76th was Oct. 3, 2026; free, with a City Hall party.

Last checked Oct. 5, 2026. Facts come from the City of Roswell’s 2026 Youth Day Celebration page on Roswell365, the city’s events site. This page is updated each year at the same address.

The Frances McGahee Youth Day Parade, one of Roswell’s oldest traditions, marched through Historic Downtown Roswell for the 76th time on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. and is followed by a free celebration on the Roswell City Hall campus until 2 p.m. The city has not announced the 2027 date. The last three parades were all on the first Saturday of October; if that holds, the 77th would fall on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2027. We will confirm it here when the city posts it.

Know before you go

When: a Saturday in early October; parade at 10 a.m., celebration 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: a 2-mile parade route through Historic Downtown Roswell; celebration at City Hall, 38 Hill St.

Cost: free

Road closures: by 9:45 a.m. along the route (2026)

Parking: free at Roswell City Hall

Alerts: text ROSWELLEvent to 888777 on the day

Organizer: City of Roswell

What it is

Youth Day honors Roswell’s youngest residents. The city’s sponsorship packet calls it a parade of more than 70 years, on a 2-mile route through Historic Downtown Roswell “filled with floats, marching bands and tons of candy,” and puts attendance at more than 10,000. The 2026 theme was “Tapestry of Generations,” part of the city’s America250 year.

The parade

Start: 10 a.m. sharp.
Line-up: Roswell Area Park, off Woodstock Road. Parking and drop-off there are for parade participants only, and there is no shuttle back at the end.
Route: about 2 miles through Historic Downtown Roswell. The city posts each year’s route and parking map.
Road closures: roads close no later than 9:45 a.m. and reopen as the parade clears each road.
What to bring: comfortable shoes, water, a hat, sunscreen and a bag for candy, the city suggests.

The celebration at City Hall

After the parade, the party moves to the Roswell City Hall campus, 38 Hill St., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In 2026 it had:

Art Block: hands-on art stations run by local businesses and groups, with live entertainment on stage and around the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, including Cirque performers.
Fall Farmyard at Smith Plantation: pumpkin decorating while supplies lasted, farm animals to pet, and historic activities such as candle dipping.
Truck Zone: climb aboard city trucks and vehicles.
Food Truck Alley: food and drinks for sale.

Parking

Free public parking is available at Roswell City Hall, and guests at the celebration are invited to park there, the city says. More downtown options are on the city’s downtown parking page. Plan to walk to the route: roads along it close by 9:45 a.m.

Who was Frances McGahee?

Frances McGahee lived in Roswell for more than 50 years. She worked as a banker at Roswell Bank, served on the Roswell Recreation Commission and was treasurer of the Roswell Bicentennial Committee. She was named Roswell’s Volunteer of the Year and History Maker of the Year in 2000. In 2007 the Roswell Youth Day Parade was renamed the Frances McGahee Youth Day Celebration in her honor, according to the city.

Past dates

Year	Date
2024	Saturday, Oct. 5
2025	Saturday, Oct. 4
2026	Saturday, Oct. 3 (76th parade)

Dates from the city’s listings for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Roswell Youth Day parade? On a Saturday in early October at 10 a.m. The 76th parade was Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The last three were all on the first Saturday of October; the city has not announced the 2027 date.

Where does the Roswell Youth Day parade go? It lines up at Roswell Area Park off Woodstock Road and follows a 2-mile route through Historic Downtown Roswell. The city posts each year’s route map before the parade.

When do roads close for the Youth Day parade? In 2026 roads closed no later than 9:45 a.m. and reopened as the parade cleared each road.

Is the Roswell Youth Day Celebration free? Yes. The parade and the celebration at City Hall are free and open to the public. Food and drinks are for sale.

Who was Frances McGahee? A Roswell resident for more than 50 years who worked at Roswell Bank and served on the Roswell Recreation Commission. The parade was renamed for her in 2007.

What this means for you

Keep the first Saturday of October in mind; we will confirm the 2027 date here.
If you live on or near the route, expect road closures from about 9:45 a.m. until the parade passes.
Park at City Hall: you will be right at the celebration when the parade ends.