By LINDA CHION KENNEY
The proud tradition of the Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade overcame a last-minute hiccup as its organizers ready the field for a march that includes units and floats from the Greater Riverview area and beyond.
“We’re excited that everything worked out with the county, which in April had asked us and organizers for other parades to pay for full barricades along the parade route, which is something we never had to do before in the 60-plus year history of the Brandon parade,” said Betty Jo Tompkins, a past Riverview Citizen of the Year and vice president of the Greater Brandon Action Network (GBAN), which stages the historic parade. “We’ll likely have to address the matter for the future, as it requires a hefty sum that as an all-volunteer nonprofit we are not equipped to pay, but for now, we’re full-speed ahead for signing up entries for this year’s parade.”
The Hillsborough County Fair float at the 2024 Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade
GBAN traces its roots to the Roundtable Charities of Greater Brandon Inc., which first staged the parade more than six decades ago. The group in recent years had been known as the Community Roundtable, and when that board last year voted to disband, dissenting members, including Tompkins, Lela Lilyquist and Randall Munsters, decided to keep the tradition alive with GBAN.
Also in that mix is GBAN president, Lisa Rodriguez, a past honorary mayor of Brandon, who graduated from Brandon High and since age 12 has attended every one of the Greater Brandon Fourth of July parades.
“I can remember standing on State Road 60, watching the parade go by, and Dick Stowers, [namesake of the elementary school in Lithia], dressed up as a clown and shaking everyone’s hands, giving candy to kids,” Rodriguez said. “I will never forget that. And it’s those memories that give me the will power to keep volunteering to help plan and present these parades.”
This year a new route is in place “to provide more shade for the spectators and participants,” Rodriguez said. “We’re hoping it will help us to provide a better atmosphere, and people will feel more comfortable watching the parade go by.”
Moreover, three water stations will be strategically located, “providing free water to anyone who needs it,” Rodriguez said.
As is the tradition, “the parade lineup still is on Lumsden Road, between Kings and Parsons avenues, with a 10 a.m. start at the intersection of Lumsden Road and Parsons Avenue,” Rodriguez said.
Heading north, the parade will take a turn onto Vonderburg Drive, passing on the right the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association, en route to Oakfield Drive, with Brandon Hospital to the right.
From there, the parade turns left onto Oakfield Drive, then left onto Eichenfeld Drive to end the parade in the expansive parking area for Woman’s Care Florida.
But before that turn, parade floats and units will be judged at the viewing stand, which this year will be in front of Music Showcase at 402 Oakfield Drive.
“We’re changing the route this year to provide for a little shorter route, with more shade, and to make it easier for disbanding,” said Rodriguez, who noted that in years past the parade ended in a Publix-anchored shopping center west of Kings Avenue, which mixed parade participants with shoppers.
“The new parade route takes another step toward better safety for all,” Rodriguez said. “We’re all about safety in our parade, for our spectators and for our participants.”
An awards dinner for parade participants, held days after the parade, is in the works as well. At last year’s event, nine awards were issued for what was promoted as the 67th annual parade, including Best Professional Float, which went to 1st U.S.
Volunteer Calvary Regiment – Rough Riders Inc. for its newly refurbished S.S. Yucatan float. It’s reminiscent of the ship that in 1898 transported Theodore Roosevelt and his “Rough Riders” to Cuba from Tampa to fight in the Spanish-American War.
Unusual Vehicle went to Slingshots of Tampa Bay, founded in 2017 by Dwayne Aikens of Riverview, a retired U.S. Navy veteran. The family-oriented club is for owners of the three-wheeled Polaris vehicle, a cross between automobile and motorcycle. Last year’s parade featured more than 20 slingshots.
In a further push for safety, Rodriguez said participants and spectators are asked to “keep your group together, watch your children, keep them behind curbs, no walkers across the parade route at any time.” Moreover, she added, “wear sneakers, visors, hats and sunscreen, and be aware of your surroundings.”
Rodriguez said nothing will be thrown from floats or cars, but that beads and other goodies will be handed to spectators and kids along the route, “so you don’t have to run out into the street to get something, or worry about something airborne hitting you in the head.” And one more thing, she added, “no water guns.”
Linda Chion Kenney photos
Riverview Memorial VFW Post 8108 in formation at the 2024 Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade
As for the hitch that almost halted this year’s parade, Rodriguez said she is glad the issue has been resolved and especially so after misguided social media posts.
“News had circulated that the parade had been cancelled because for the first time county officials said they expected full barricades along the route, at the expense of the parade’s presenter,” Rodriguez said. “Our organization did not have those funds and especially not at the last minute, as we first heard about this in April. Apparently, we were not the only parade affected by this new requirement, and GBAN for sure did not have the $25,000 required to secure the barricades.”
With that issue for now tabled, Rodriguez is set to deepen for one more year her Brandon parade tradition.
“Generations of families have come to this parade for almost 70 years,” Rodriguez said. “They live and work and play throughout the Greater Brandon area and beyond, which includes Riverview, Ruskin, FishHawk, Waterset, south county, Lithia, Valrico, Seffner and east Tampa. The parade binds us all together a bit, as it brings us together to celebrate our Independence Day.”
To register a float or parade unit, visit www.july4thparade@yahoo.com/. For more information, call Betty Jo Tompkins at 813-477-8332 or Lisa Rodriguez at 813-380-6995.