The City of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department celebrate the unofficial end of summer with the 72nd Annual Labor Day Parade Monday, September 6, 2010 at 1 p.m. The parade, which will feature an assortment of fire engines, high school marching bands, large balloons, horses, clowns, and more, will wind through the streets of Olde Towne Gaithersburg, including East Diamond and Russell Avenues.  Master of ceremonies will be Julie Wright, traffic reporter for WTOP News Radio and part of the Fox 5 Morning News team. 

Free parking is available in the Olde Towne garage, located at the corner of Olde Towne and South Summit Avenues. Handicap parking is located behind the Victor Litz store on the north side of Diamond Avenue, and behind the Shell station on South Summit Avenue. A shuttle bus will also be provided from the Lakeforest Shopping Center transit station to Gaithersburg Elementary School beginning at noon.

The Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade is one the City's oldest traditions.  The Gaithersburg Fire Department established a rescue squad in 1938 and that year they hosted traditional fundraising events such as dinners and dances and a Labor Day Parade.  Early parades included a band competition, carnival booths and a dance.  Eventually the carnival and dance aspects ceased to be a profitable way for the department to earn money, but the volunteers did continue to sponsor the Labor Day parade until 1977, when a citizen's committee undertook the task of organizing the end-of-summer festivity.  The event is now coordinated by the City of Gaithersburg Department of Parks Recreation and Culture, with continued support from the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department.  It has been held every year except 1942, during World War II.