Smiles. Salutations. Community. Happiness. Kids. Kids. Kids … and a few overly enthusiastic water balloon throws by the grown-ups.

To most of us participating or simply standing on Crandon watching the Fourth of July Parade go by, this just happens. How hard can it be? Just close Crandon, line up floats, golf carts and bands and voilà, we have a parade. Some residents know there is planning involved but most of us don’t realize the level of logistical work it takes to put on an event of this magnitude.

Consider this a huge THANK YOU to the hardworking members of the Village of Key Biscayne Fourth of July Parade Committee. This group of about 20 residents, some who have served for years, spends months preparing the logistics for this event. During and after the parade, committee members and volunteers were everywhere, working their assigned duties and keeping things moving.

Special shout out to parade leader Michele Estevez and KBCF’s Andrew Britton, who seemed to be everywhere well after the parade, and to the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne’s Liberty Grill, another group of volunteers who deserve recognition. Thanks also to the Village’s Parks and Recreation Department for its huge assistance to the parade committee.

It’s truly amazing that thousands of people get to enjoy a parade organized and run entirely by volunteers.

Now, one small item worth a gentle reminder. The Parade Committee’s instructions are specific, noting that confetti, streamers, water balloons and water guns are strictly prohibited from the parade.

Every year, toward the end of the parade, a group of kids douses the entries with water guns, and honestly, by that point, the cooldown is welcome. Water balloons are a different story, especially when thrown with real adult force rather than tossed in fun, a distinction worth keeping in mind for safety’s sake and for the environment’s, given the plastic left behind. A friendly ask for parents: save that energy for the pool, so the 68th edition of the parade can stay water-gun cool and balloon-free.

Overall, another incredible Fourth of July on Key Biscayne. See you at 11 a.m., Sunday, July 4, 2027, along Crandon!