The Fourth of July parade and fireworks show will return to Fort Myers Beach this year to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, after a fundraising effort by the local business group What\u2019s Up FMB.<\/p>\n
The Fourth of July parade will start on Estero Boulevard from near the Fort Myers Beach Library at 10 a.m., followed by a \u201cFreedom by the Bay\u201d event honoring veterans at 4 p.m. with a ceremony and concert at Bayside Veterans Park off Old San Carlos Boulevard, near Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant. The concert will begin at 5 p.m. and run until 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
The fireworks show will take place at dusk from a barge near the Fort Myers Beach Pier close to Times Square and Lynn Hall Memorial Park, around 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
Fort Myers Beach Manager Will McKannay\u2019s staff is overseeing preparations for the parade.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to a great day,\u201d McKannay said. \u201cWe are looking forward to everything that Fort Myers Beach is used to\u201d with the parade, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe welcome everybody to return to Fort Myers Beach,\u201d McKannay said.<\/p>\n
McKannay, a retired U.S. Army colonel and garrison commander, said the veteran\u2019s event at Bayside Veteran\u2019s Park will honor veterans from around Southwest Florida.<\/p>\n
For McKannay, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country is a special moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor all of us, it\u2019s significant. The experiment that still is the USA,\u201d McKannay said. \u201cThe 250th year is definitely something that should be proud of. For me, it\u2019s significant because I spent 30 years of my life protecting those freedoms so it has extra special meaning to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Matanzas Pass Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. until noon for the morning parade, and again at night from 9 to 11 p.m. for the fireworks.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Up FMB raised $129,000 through donations for the fireworks and parade.\u00a0The amount covers the fireworks, as well as other costs, such as funding for the Lee County Sheriff\u2019s Office detail.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Up FMB raised the funds for the fireworks and parade after the Town of Fort Myers Beach cut fireworks out of its budget last year due to fiscal considerations.<\/p>\n
Dawn Miller, the co-founder of What\u2019s Up FMB, said the fundraising for the fireworks was done through the collection of donations from local businesses and individual contributions, as well as promotions by local businesses in which they donated a portion of sales for the fireworks.<\/p>\n
Miller said the first 100 veterans who attend the \u201cFreedom by the Bay\u201d veteran\u2019s ceremony at Bayside Veteran\u2019s Park, will receive a special gift from What\u2019s Up FMB. Miller said she is most excited about the \u201cFreedom by the Bay\u201d event.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Miller, who also made a large donation for the fireworks with her husband Mike Miller, said that having a fireworks show and parade was important.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no reason why we should not have the festivities this year considering it\u2019s 250 years,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe are super-excited about it. The parade, we certainly could use some more participation in it.\u201d<\/p>\n