Community Corner

What You Should Know About Brandon's Fourth of July Parade

The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Lumsden Road and Parsons Avenue.

It's the culmination of a year of planning by members of the Community Roundtable, organizers of the annual Brandon Fourth of July Parade.

And tomorrow it all comes to fruition when the parade, one of the largest in the state, kicks off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Lumsden Road and Parsons Avenue.

According to parade chairman Marie Cain of Riverview, here's what parade participants and spectators alike should know about this year's parade.

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  • Parade participants will begin lining up along Lumsden Road between Kings Avenue and Parsons Avenue at 8 a.m. That section of Lumsden will be closed starting at 7:30 a.m.
  • The parade runs north on Parsons Avenue to Robertson Street, heading west on Robertson and then north on Buckingham Place, ending in the shopping center on State Road 60 near Burlington Coat Factory, 955 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon, a distance of about two miles. The parade route will be closed at 9:30 a.m.
  • Cain said the parade is expected to last about 2 1/2 hours.
  • This year's parade will feature 115 units including 34 floats, the East Hillsborough Summer Band, made up of students from Bloomingdale and Brandon high schools, a number of military units and a large contingent of candidates for political office.
  • This year's grand marshal is Valrico resident Jeremy Rosado, a contestant on this year's "American Idol" television show.
  • The parade marshal in charge of organizing the units and making sure the parade runs smoothly is Bloomingdale resident LaWayne Wyatt.
  • Among the parade participants this year is the Nam Knights who will display a metal beam from the World Trade Center.
  • The parade also will feature the winner of the Brandon honorary mayor's race. This year there are two candidates, Brandon attorney B. Lee Elam and Riverview resident Gay Lynn Love. Proceeds from the candidates' fundraisers throughout the month of June will be counted the morning of the Fourth of July, and the candidate who has raised the most money for local charities is declared Brandon's honorary mayor.
  • This year's parade will honor Brandon's pioneering families. A VIP grandstand will be set up next to the reviewing stand in front of Nature's Health Foods on Parsons Avenue. Members of Brandon's founding families and former honorary mayors have been invited to watch the parade from the grandstand.
  • "It will be hot out there," said Cain. "Be sure to arrive early and find some shade." Cain also advises spectators to bring plenty of sunscreen, hats or umbrellas and lawn chairs. An estimated 30,000 spectators are expected to attend this year's parade.
  • Because of the noise and heat, Cain strongly discourages spectators from bringing pets to the parade.
  • There will be food truck vendors stationed along the parade route including the Taco Bus, Kona Ice, Ritter's This N That Mini Donats and Cuppin Cake.
  • Vendors will be on hand selling water and other drinks but Cain said it wouldn't hurt to bring your own water.
  • Water guns are prohibited.
  • Parade participants are prohibited from throwing candy and beads from floats or cars this year. However, items can be handed out by walkers.
  • Among those working this year's parade will be more than 80 sheriff's deputies, 10 ham radio operators, 15 volunteer traffic enforcers, another dozen volunteers at the reviewing stand and 30 volunteers to do setup and cleanup.

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