06/07/2026
🎉 Did You Know? The Kalamazoo Do-Dah Parade Has Been Making People Laugh Since 1984! 🎉
What started as a playful rebellion against traditional, "stuffy" parades has become one of Kalamazoo's most beloved annual traditions. The Do-Dah Parade was created in 1984 by organizers at WKMI radio as a way for local businesses, organizations, and community members to showcase their creativity through satire, humor, and pure silliness. It was inspired by the original Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena, California, and was designed to be the exact opposite of a formal parade.
For more than 40 years, downtown Kalamazoo has come alive with outrageous costumes, clever spoofs, themed floats, and unforgettable characters. What makes Do-Dah special is that there are no strict rules about being serious—participants are encouraged to be funny, imaginative, and completely unexpected.
Today, the parade continues to draw thousands of spectators each year and remains a celebration of community spirit, local pride, and the wonderfully weird side of Kalamazoo. Whether you're marching, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines, you're taking part in a tradition that has kept our city smiling for over four decades.
✨ Here's to keeping Kalamazoo creative, quirky, and full of laughter!