A red, white and blue procession will roll from Anna Maria Island’s end to end on Independence Day.
The all-American holiday will be celebrated on AMI on Thursday, July 4, with the Anna Maria Island Privateers Fourth of July Parade and Water Fight.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach, with participants due to begin staging at 8 a.m.
The parade will travel north on Gulf Drive.
In Holmes Beach, the parade will travel on Gulf, East Bay, Marina and Palm drives.
In Anna Maria, the parade will travel on Gulf Drive, then Pine Avenue east to Bay Boulevard, then north to Bayfront Park.
Participants must be on wheels.
Roller skates or tractor tires — wheels are dictated by the length of the parade.
Some other encouragements and cautions:
- Entries with a generator must be equipped with a fire extinguisher;
- Entries must feature a banner identifying representation;
- Political advertising and campaigning is not allowed and;
- Entries should be decked out for the holiday.
Entry in the parade is free but the Privateers welcome donations, which will support the Roser Food Pantry.
- Water guns are allowed but water balloons and high-powered sprays are not allowed.
For more information about the island parade, go online to amiprivateers.org or call Privateer Terry “Cookie” Rapert at 941-705-0199.
There are no fireworks shows planned on AMI beaches, which are home to nesting sea turtles and nesting shorebirds.
Off-island fireworks and more
Celebrations also are planned on Longboat Key and on the mainland, including:
- The Bradenton Marauders will celebrate the holiday Wednesday, July 3, at LECOM Park.
The team, decked out in “patriotic jerseys,” will take on the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in a minor league baseball game.
After the game, the team will celebrate with a fireworks display.
Tickets are $15 per person and include a ballcap and drink voucher.
The game will begin at 6:30 p.m.
For tickets, go to milb.com/bradenton and for more info call 941-747-3031.
- Longboat Key’s Freedom Fest will begin at 9 a.m. July 4 at Bicentennial Park, 2730 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Plans include a parade into the park, games and crafts and a butterfly release.
For more information, call the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce at 941-383-2466.
- On July 4, fireworks will begin after dark along the Bradenton and Palmetto riverfront with the show originating from the Green Bridge that links the two cities over the Manatee River.
Beginning at 3 p.m., the city of Bradenton will host the Fourth of July Independence Day Celebration at the Riverwalk, featuring a classic car show, food and merchant vendors, and musical performances by Emmet Stevens Jr. and 22N.
For more, go to bradentonalive.com or call 941-932-9400
Beginning at 5 p.m., the city of Palmetto will host Fourth Fest at Riverside Park, 801 Riverside Drive, featuring music by One Night Rodeo, Scarlet Drive and the Beatdown Band, food vendors and a kids’ zone.
For more information, call the city at 941-723-4570.