There have been thousands of floats and cars and walkers in the Upper Arlington parade over the years. This page encompasses the history, novelty and craftsmanship that has donned the streets to the amusement of the community. Some are winners of various 4th of July parade prizes, others are just entertaining and historically relevant. There are a little over 20 years from over 100 years of parades, we will always be looking to update historical years as we uncover more information. If you have any photos from missing years please reach out to the UACA. Enjoy!
2023 Float Winners
Best Design and Craftsmanship: WACO
Most Representative of Theme: Greensview
Best of Parade: The FARM
Best Neighborhood: Fairfax Rd
Most Entertaining: K-Studio
Best Patriotic: First Community Village
Golden Bear Award: The Chair
Best Class Reunion: UA Class of 1963
Best Youth Group: Olentangy Longhouse
Best Service Theme: Rainbow UA
Best First Time Entry: Orchard View
2022 Float Winners
Best of Parade: Greensview Neighborhood
Best Design and Craftsmanship & Peoples Choice Award: The FARM
Golden Bear Award: WACO (Westwood Acres)
Most Entertaining: Pickwick Dr
Most Patriotic: First Commnity Village
Best Class Reunion: UAHS Class of 1962
Best Youth Group: Olentangy Longhouse
Best Service Group: Rainbow UA
Best Neighborhood: Fairfax Rd
Most Representative of theme: K Studios
Best First Time Entry: UAHS Class of 2002
2021 Float Winners
Best of Parade: Fairfax Rd
Best Design and Craftsmanship & Peoples Choice Award: The FARM
Golden Bear Award: WACO (Westwood Acres)
Most Entertaining: K Studios
Most Patriotic: UAHS Class of 1976
Best Class Reunion: UAHS Class of 1981
Best Youth Group: Olentangy Longhouse
Best Service Group: First Community Village
Best Neighborhood: Greensview
Most Representative of theme: Marjorie Jones Schools
Best First Time Entry: UAHS Class of 1981
2020 Float/Neighborhood Winners
(Due to Covid – 2020 had house decorations contest)
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UA High School
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2019 Float Winners
Best of Parade: Greensview Neighborhood
Best Youth Group: UA Indian Princess
Most Representative of Theme: Westwood Acres
Most Entertaining: K Studio
Best First Time Entry: Club Orange Raptors Soccer
Best of Neighborhood: Fairfax Rd
Best Design & Craftsmanship: Mumford / Randmore
Golden Bear Award: UAHS Class of 1969
Best Service Group: First Community Village
Most Patriotic: Bartelt Dancers
Best Class Reunion: Class of 1979
2018 Float Winners – Golden Bear Award Introduced
Best Service Group: UAHS Aquatics
Best First Time Entry: Between the Parks
Founders Award: Randmore and Mumford Rd
People's Choice Award: York Place
Most Patriotic: First Community Village
Most Representative of Them: St. Agatha Parish
Best of Parade & UA Cup Winner: Fairfax Neighborhood
Best Youth Group: UA Indian Princesses
Best Class Reunion: Class of 1968
Golden Bear Award: Westwood Acres
Most Entertaining: Devon Rd
Best Design and Craftsmanship: Rock Solid Academy
Best Neighborhood: Greensview Neighborhood
2017 Float Winners
Overall Best of Parade; Greensview Neighborhood
Best Neighborhood: Westwood Acres
Best First Time Entry: Westmont Blvd
Most Entertaining: Marjorie Jones Schools, Inc
Best Service Group: First Community Village/ National Church Residences
2017 Spirit of UA Awards:
Class of 1977
Henthorn Rd
Wellesley Dr
Langham Rd
Randmore/Mumford
Best Design & Craftsmanship: Fairfax Rd
Best Representation of Theme: York Place
Most Patriotic: Bartlet Dancers
Best Youth Group: UA Indian Princess
Best Class Reunion: Class of 1992
2016 Float Winners
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2015 Float Winners
2015 Bartley Dancers
2015 Henthorn Rd
2015 K-Studio
2015 St. Agatha
2015 Westwood Acres
2015 Devon Road
2015 Fairfax Dr
2015 Randmore and Mumford
2015 UA Optimist
2014 Float Winners
Best of Parade – Fairfax Road
Most Representative of Theme – Wickliffe School
Most Entertaining – St. Agatha Parish
Best Youth Group – Rock Solid Academy
Best Neighborhood – Henthorn Road
Best Design & Craftsmanship – Westwood Acres
Most Patriotic – Bartelt Dancers
Best Class Reunion – Class of 1969
Best Service Group – First Community Village
Best 1st Time Entry – Kenbrook Neighborhood
2013 Float Winners
Best of Parade – St. Agatha
Most Representative of Theme – Westwood Acres
Most Entertaining – K Studio
Best Youth Group – UAHS Aquatics
Best Neighborhood – York and Kent
Best Design & Craftsmanship – Fairfax Road
Most Patriotic – First Community
Best Class Reunion – Class of 1963
Best Service Group – Living Water International
Best 1st Time Entry – Fairfax Road Kids
2012 Float Winners
| Spirit of UA | Wickliffe – “Sending Sweet Freedom’s Song Into Space” Bartelt Dancers Windermere Ukulele Orchestra Jones Football and Cheerleaders Cub Scout Pak 11 |
| Best First-Time Entry | St. Andrew’s Preschool – “Sure is Sweet” |
| Best Service Group | K Studio |
| Best Youth Group | UA Aquatics – ” We Swim from Sea to Shining Sea” |
| Best Class Reunion | Class of 1962 and The Ravens |
| Most Entertaining | Fairfax Rd. – “UA Partridge Family” |
| Most Representitive of Theme | Abingtonton Rd – “Abington Bandstand” |
| Best Design and Craftsmanship | Westwood Acres – “Tweet Freedom’s Song” |
| Most Patriotic | St. Agatha – “God Bless America” |
| Best of Parade | Devon Rd – ” Mrs. Devon’s Gumdrops in Devonland” |
2011 Float Winners
Best Overall: Fairfax Rd
Most Representative of Theme – Guilford Road
Most Entertaining – UA Grace Brethren
Best Youth Group – K Studio
Best Neighborhood – Wakefield Forest
Spirt of UA Awards
Windermere Ukelele Orchestra
UA Special Olympics
UA Optimists
Down Syndrom Association
Best Design & Craftsmanship: St. Agatha Parish
Most Patriotic – Westwood Acres
Best Class Reunion – Class of 1976
Best Service Group – Progressive Education 40th
Best 1st Time Entry – Triangle Park
Spirit of UA Awards:
York and Kent Roads
UAHS Women's Aquatics
Universal Gymnasts
2004 Floats (courtesy of UA Archives)
Shriners Vehicle
Pipe Organ Float
Westwood Acres
Three Wheeled Motorcycle
1997 Floats (courtesy of UA Archives)
Civic Association Carriage
Miss Arlington
Miss Arlington
Shriners Vehicle
Land Between the Parks
1996 Floats (courtesy of UACA)
Grand Marshall
Past Parade Chairs
Celebrate Kids
Hastings
Class of 1956
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Spin the Bear
Golden Apple Winners
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Miss Arlington
Spirit of '76
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Westwood Acres
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Class of 1964
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The Raven
Guilford Rd
Class of 1941
UAHS Marching Band
Camden Queen
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Class of 1971
Guilford Queen
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American Cancer Society
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OSU Alumni Band
Fancyburg Queen
Upper Arlington Lutheran Church
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York Road
Class of 1959
1980 Floats (courtesy of David Lucas Colletion/Columbus Metropolitan Library)
Spirit of '76
Spirit of '76
All American Drill Team
Unidentified Band Members
Marching Band
Helicopter in parade
Float
Miss Arlington
1975 Floats (courtesy of Images of America)
Hasting Road – The Hastings Queen
Kids Climb on the gas station to get a view of the parade
1969 Floats
Wellesley Rd
15ft arch moon and earth
1969 Andover Rd
1969 Longest Float (3 sections)
1969 Spirit of ‘76
1969 Longest Float (3 sections)
1969 Miss Arlington
1969 Best Service Group
1969 Best of Parade
1969 Best Individual Entry
1968 Floats (courtesy of UA Archives)
50th Anniversary
Toast to 1968
Education 1918 – 1968
Miss Arlington (courtesy of Images of America)
1967 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Most Humorous Float
Spirit of '76
Best Service Club (UACA Archives)
Stonehurst Bunny Club
Rex Lax and his Go-Go Boys.
Best Individual Entry (UACA Archives)
1966 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Medicare-A-Go-Go
Beverly Hillbillies
Wellesley American Weigh
The Free Enterprise
Rhodes Raiders (UACA Archives)
Village Theatre – That We May Be Free
Miss Arlington
Pages of History
The Steamroller
Marion Ohio Drum & Bugle Corps (UACA Archives)
1965 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Tomato Pageant
Old Lady in the Shoe
Miss Arlington
Mid 60s: Upper Arlington Garden Club
1964 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Beverly Hillbillies
Spirit of '76
His Dream Her Dream
Exercise Bikes
Submarine Floats
Military Tank
The Mayflower
Wellesley I Dreamed I Struck Oil
Miss Arlington
Sweet Dreams
1963 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Exercise Bikes
McGuffey Rd Carriage
Monroe Doctrine
WBNS Channel 10
First Community Village
160 Years of Ohio Statehood
T-Minus 23 Stones and Counting
Shriners
Fire Dept Jr. Activities
Minstrel Shoe Boat Float
Manchester Place
Outhouse, Washtub and Shotgun Wedding
Booster Car
Spirit of '76
Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address
Wellesley Drive
1962 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Miss Arlington
1958 Floats (Courtesy of UA Archives)
Miss Arlington
1947 – 1955 Floats (Courtesy of Images of America)
Floats become more common after World War II; Antique cars given their own section in 1953, Neighborhood floats began in 1956
1947 – Old Woman in Shoe1
1951 – UA Company's William Yardley and George Galbraith ride in a 1928 Franklin Airman
1952 – Betsy Ross 200th Birthday (float made by SAJ Sorority)
1955 – St. Agatha – See the Children Grow (courtesy of St. Agatha Parish)
1949 or 1950 Kids on Bikes (courtesy of Snashall Cummins)
1952 – Sixth Graders advertise their baby sitting business while donning baby bonnets
1952 – Ocean Waves and Mermaids (float made by TAC sorority)
1930s Floats (Courtesy of Images of America)
Original Spirtof of '76 Marchers: Ted Wells, Warren Park and Russel Means
1939 Ford Deluxe Convertible (courtesy of the Upper Arlington Education Foundation)
Field Day: Mid-1920’s Floats (Courtesy of Images of America)
UA Resident dressed as a suffragette to march in parade
1918-1919 FIELD DAY Floats
Field Day was the precursor to the 4th of July Parade was a Tri-Village event
Field Day Parade
Field Day Queen
Field Day High School Float
1919: First Parade Float of Norwesters Women's Club