‘One of the biggest ever.’ De Soto Grand Parade returns to Bradenton on Saturday
The De Soto Grand Parade takes to the streets of Bradenton for the 87th time on Saturday, April 25, for a day the organizers hope is “a wonderful time.”
The event, organized by the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society, will feature 170 “beautifully lighted” floats, according to Tom Murphy, co-chairman of the DeSoto Heritage Festival Grand Parade.
“This year’s parade will be one of the biggest ever,” Murphy added.
The parade, which begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, is one of the “largest and oldest parades in the Southeastern United States,” according to the Historical Society. This year’s event will feature a pre-parade block party on Old Main Street, beginning at 3:30 p.m. with live music and street vendors.
“You’ll see chairs begin to show up all across Manatee Avenue, marking off spots…” Murphy said.
The family-friendly atmosphere will also include a kids zone, presented by the Early Learning Coalition.
The parade, which attracts between 25,000 and 50,000 observers, stages on Manatee Avenue between First Street and Ninth Street West. The celebration will also close multiple roads across downtown Bradenton Saturday.
“Every float is going to be full of revelers with cases of beads that will be handed out, thrown out, to those that are watching,” Murphy said. “We estimate that over 3 million beads will be thrown on Saturday night.”
The money raised from this parade will be donated “back to charities throughout Manatee County. We also provide scholarships to a lot of students in the area,” Murphy said.
The floats will travel west down Manatee Avenue and end their route at 39th Street West.
The annual De Soto Parade has become an established tradition for families around Bradenton — and it supports good cause throughout Manatee County, Murphy said.
“Our mission is not only to raise money to support charities and provide scholarships, but it’s to bring some fun to the community,” Murphy said.
Murphy said that this event takes all year to coordinate and organize, and that he hopes people “tell their friends what a wonderful time that they had.”
“At the end of the day, a successful event for us is a lot of happy people going home full of beads,” Murphy said.
