Beads! Patience pays off for young patriots

Ellen Willis of Wesley Chapel was happy to see the Anna Maria Island Privateers Independence Day parade return July 3 after a hiatus for COVID-19. “It was a great time! We were so glad it was back this year. We stay here every July and it is one of the highlights for sure,” she said in a post-parade email to The Islander. She shared the enthusiasm of her kids, top left, waiting in their seats for the parade: Maggie, 8, right, Willis, 5, center, and Lochlan Mazzaro, 5, left, also from Wesley Chapel. The trio waited patiently for the Privateers to arrive to 62nd Street on their route from Bradenton Beach to Anna Maria, and they were rewarded by the pirates and other parade participants with plenty of colorful souvenir beads. This year’s parade had more than 100 participants — all rolling in golf carts, on bikes, aboard boats on trailers and truck beds. Islander Courtesy Photos

Ellen Willis of Wesley Chapel was happy to see the Anna Maria Island Privateers Independence Day parade return July 3 after a hiatus for COVID-19. “It was a great time! We were so glad it was back this year. We stay here every July and it is one of the highlights for sure,” she said in a post-parade email to The Islander. She shared the enthusiasm of her kids, top left, waiting in their seats for the parade: Maggie, 8, right, Willis, 5, center, and Lochlan Mazzaro, 5, left, also from Wesley Chapel. The trio waited patiently for the Privateers to arrive to 62nd Street on their route from Bradenton Beach to Anna Maria, and they were rewarded by the pirates and other parade participants with plenty of colorful souvenir beads. This year’s parade had more than 100 participants — all rolling in golf carts, on bikes, aboard boats on trailers and truck beds. Islander Courtesy Photos

Ellen Willis of Wesley Chapel was happy to see the Anna Maria Island Privateers Independence Day parade return July 3 after a hiatus for COVID-19. “It was a great time! We were so glad it was back this year. We stay here every July and it is one of the highlights for sure,” she said in a post-parade email to The Islander. She shared the enthusiasm of her kids, top left, waiting in their seats for the parade: Maggie, 8, right, Willis, 5, center, and Lochlan Mazzaro, 5, left, also from Wesley Chapel. The trio waited patiently for the Privateers to arrive to 62nd Street on their route from Bradenton Beach to Anna Maria, and they were rewarded by the pirates and other parade participants with plenty of colorful souvenir beads. This year’s parade had more than 100 participants — all rolling in golf carts, on bikes, aboard boats on trailers and truck beds. Islander Courtesy Photos

The Privateers ride the Skullywag into “downtown” Holmes Beach.

John Swager rides in the 50th anniversary parade. He was honored as the first-ever Anna Maria Island Privateers 4th of July Parade grand marshal.

The Franchi family of Tampa take in the parade on their way home from a vacation on AMI. They parked the car and the young boys collected parade booty at the corner of Gulf and Marina drives in Holmes Beach.

Commissioner Jim Kihm targets a bead throw toward the camera.

Holmes Beach Chief of Police Bill Tokajer, riding with his wife, Thea, hands out U.S. flags on the parade route. The flag handout was sponsored by The Islander.