Moscow parade could draw celebrators, protesters

The first Latah County Fourth of July Parade is planned for 10 a.m. Monday on Main Street in Moscow. Local businesses, veterans and various floats will feature in the parade during Independence Day.

The parade is being organized by Advance Idaho, a local development group started in 2022. Though the event has Latah County in its name, no Latah County administration will be sponsoring or hosting the parade.

Jason Elmore, a member of Advance Idaho, said the parade is about honoring veterans and first responders, as well as providing fun for kids. Elmore said the parade isn’t meant to take political or religious stances, but to honor the holiday and celebrate political and religious freedoms.

There’s been recent online chatter about protests during the event. According to a Facebook post, multiple individual protests are being planned in opposition to Christ Church.

Elmore said Advance Idaho has no affiliation with any church. He also stated there are members of Advance Idaho’s board who do attend Christ Church.

“Advance Idaho is a great group of local business men and women who are trying to bring jobs to the Palouse,” Elmore said. “We’ll partner with everybody.”

The group was formed to bring new businesses and create more jobs in Idaho. In its values statements on its website, a portion states “We are created in the image of God and endowed with inalienable rights.”

While planning the parade, a group of local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries volunteered to be positioned along the parade routes to make sure children do not run in the road. Elmore stated after a Daily News article was published, the missionaries withdrew from participating in this activity. Elmore said he hopes they can partner with them in the future, and is currently putting together a new team to fill this safety role.

Moscow Police Capt. Anthony Dahlinger said there will be officers at the parade and the department has a parade detail scheduled, as it does for most other parades. Dahlinger said if people are legally protesting, it is their First Amendment right to do so.

Along with officers stationed at the parade, Advance Idaho will have additional security personnel, according to Dahlinger.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce.