Brandon Community Roundtable Fourth of July Parade Draws Thousands

By Tamas Mon dovics

An endless supply of bead necklaces and candy, not to mention plenty of cheering and music, all under a sea of red, white and blue, marked another successful Fourth of July parade in Brandon, hosted once again by the Brandon Community Roundtable.

Supporting the decades-long annual Brandon tradition, thousands of area residents lined the roadway welcoming the more than 100 groups that paraded down Parsons Avenue to complete the nearly two mile journey going north on Lumsden Road, then turning left onto Robertson Street before finishing at Buckingham Place.

While the participating groups included dozens of returning favorites and many new ones, the event once again featured some of the local winners such as Eddy Hernandez as Father of the Year, and Michelle Hernandez (no relation) as the winner of this year’s Brandon Honorary Mayor’s race.

There was no shortage of local government officials who took part in passing out beads and candy coupled with the free flow of handshakes.

Hillsborough Coun ty Commissioners, Sandra Murman and Stacy White, joined by Representative Ross Spano, R-Dover all made sure they were visible to their constituents.

Of course, as is the case at every parade, the cheering crowd was charmed most by little ones decked out in the colors of the day, sitting, standing or being held by their parents while taking their rightful place amongst the thousands.

The Community Roundtable meets the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m.

The meetings are located at Center Place (Brandon Library) at 619 Vonderburg Dr. in Brandon, promoting its mission, “To instill a sense of community and pride for the Greater Brandon area through participation, via membership and volunteerism.”

For more information, visit www.thecommunityroundtable.org.