Third annual Fourth of July Parade – A new start
The Beach Civic Association’s third annual Fourth of July parade will begin at a new time this year – 1 p.m. It will start at Topps SuperMarket parking lot. All participants are asked to be there and begin lining up by noon. The sky bridge will be closed from 12:45 p.m. until 2 p.m.
The parade is being moved to 1 p.m. to accommodate the island’s churches since this year’s Independence Day falls on a Sunday.
Our state’s new Miss Florida, Donna Snow, of Cape Coral, is scheduled to be here, along with other beauty queens from around Southwest Florida.
Everyone wishing to enter a float and didn’t receive an invitation in the mail can call Lee Melsek at 470-3407 or Dennis Boback at 462-8798. Entry fees are $20 for non profit organizations and $40 for commercial and for-profit organizations.
The Civic Association partners for this year’s parade once again are The Surf Club, The Beached Whale and Charley’s Boat House restaurant. Joining us this year as new partners are WINDS and The Bay Walk organization of businesses on Olde San Carlos Boulevard. Other businesses wishing to join as a sponsor should contact Melsek or Boback.
The annual parade has become a prelude to the island’s giant fireworks show later that night. The Semmer family fireworks show now is the finest and most popular in all of Southwest Florida and draws tens of thousands of people to the island and along the shoreline. A fireworks fundraiser is being held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, at The Mermaid Lounge and Liquors at 1204 Estero Boulevard. Owners Scott, Kathy and Valerie Van Selow invite everyone to come on over and help make Fort Myers Beach sparkle on the Fourth of July by contributing to the purchase of the fireworks. There will be raffles, food, music and drink specials.