The Johnson County Old Settlers Parade rolls through downtown Olathe on Sept. 12, led by grand marshal Bill Garton, a World War II veteran and longtime advocate for local education and civic service.
The parade runs from 10 a.m. to noon and opens a three-day festival hosted by the Johnson County Old Settlers Association, an organization that dates to 1898.
Route and road closures
The parade begins at Kansas and Loula streets, heads east to Water Street, turns north to Park Street, then continues east to its end at Buchanan Street. Side streets along the route close at 8 a.m. for staging. Access to garages along the route is expected to reopen as soon as the parade wraps up.
Road closures are a regular part of the annual festival. The City of Olathe flagged downtown closures during the September 2025 event as well.
The event goes on rain or shine. In the case of severe weather, updates will be posted on the Johnson County Old Settlers Festival Facebook page.
Live broadcast
For the first time, the parade will air live on KSMO-TV, with streaming available on KCTV5+ and KCTV5.com, KCTV5 reported. KCTV5 morning anchors Bill Hurrelbrink and Carolina Cruz will call the parade in person. Several other KCTV5 personalities plan to ride in convertibles provided by the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City.
Beyond the parade
The festival features free concerts, food vendors, auto shows, arts and crafts booths, community contests and family activities. The full schedule and event details are available on the association's website.
Garton, described by organizers as a community leader dedicated to education and civic service, will lead the procession through downtown. No additional biographical details about Garton were available as of publication.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Johnson County Old Settlers Parade, 10 a.m. to noon, downtown Olathe
- Beginning Saturday, Sept. 12: Johnson County Old Settlers Festival, three days, downtown Olathe
