Ready for Beads? Catch Them at the Fourth of July Parade 2013 in Temple Terrace

Ready to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day?

In Temple Terrace, festivities will kick off when the 39th annual Fourth of July Parade rolls through town. The parade is sponsored by the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce with support from the City of Temple Terrace. It begins at 10 a.m. at Gillette Avenue and Whiteway Drive.

Parade Route

The two-mile parade route runs south on Gillette Avenue, west on Druid Hills Road, then south on Ridgedale Road to the Ridgedale Sports Complex near Temple Terrace Elementary School.

Grand Marshal

The grand marshal of the 2013 Fourth of July Parade is Maj. Gen. Luis Visot. He’s the executive director of the University of South Florida Joint Military Science Leadership Center, a program that is designed to enhance the quality of reserve officers training programs for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force.

Visot’s wife, Dr. Cindy Visot, chief of Staff and director of the Board of Trustees at USF, will accompany him.

Who You’ll See

Temple Terrace Mayor Frank Chillura and members of the Temple Terrace City Council will each be escorted in the parade. According to Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy, the chamber’s executive director, some of the other participants include the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Temple Terrace Fire Department, marching bands, community organizations, local restaurants and horses.

There will be between 80 and 90 units, she said.

Freebies

“People will be throwing out beads and candy and other things,” Sparks-McGlinchy said.

Business owners hand out their business cards, non-profit organizations distribute fliers and pamphlets, and mini American flags are sometimes given away, too.

The freebies have become a tradition, and it’s common to see families walking home from the parade with a collection of colorful beads around their necks and goodies in their arms.

How to Donate

If you’d like to donate to the Temple Terrace Fourth of July festivities, call the chamber at 813-989-7004.

Click here for information on the 2013 Temple Terrace Fourth of July Fireworks.

See also:

• Fourth of July 2013: What You Need to Know in Temple Terrace
• Fireworks Light Up the Temple Terrace Sky (2012)
• Community Celebrates July 4 at Parade (2012)
• July 4 in Temple Terrace: What You Need to Know (2012)
• Temple Terrace July 4 Parade In Photos (2011)
• Temple Terrace July 4 Fireworks In Photos (2011)