Festivities Planned For Annual July 4 Celebration

Street poles on 56th Street have popped with red, white and blue banners in anticipation of the city’s annual and festivities that will take place July 4.

has sold more than 20 of these banners to raise money for the yearly Independence Day event, a Temple Terrace tradition for 37 years.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and end around noon. The two-mile parade route will start at Whiteway Drive and Gillette Avenue. The parade will head south on Gillette, west on Druid Hills, then south on Ridgedale Road to the Ridgedale Sports Complex near .

More than 80 participants have signed up to take part in the parade, and the Chamber is getting more every day even though the deadline to register has passed, said Lauren Tice, the Chamber’s administrative assistant.

“We usually have close to 100 entries,” she said.

At 7 p.m., the community is invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to the first fairway of the where there will be a variety of food and beverages available for purchase, including hot dogs, hamburgers, snow cones, cotton candy, popcorn, lemonade, sodas and water.

Shout, a 50s and 60s band, will provide entertainment from 7 to 9 p.m., and singers with will also perform.

The yearly event always culminates with the fireworks display, which can also be seen from the first fairway of the Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club. The fireworks are expected to start around 9:15 p.m.

The event is a fun custom for the community, but it comes with a hefty price tag. The cost for the whole shebang is close to $25,000.

“The fireworks are the most expensive thing,” Tice said.

So, the Chamber raises money through sponsorships, donations and other programs like the street pole banners.

Banners cost $175, and the Chamber sold more than 20, Tice said.

The Chamber has also received about 50 “Light Up The Sky” donations of $100 for the fireworks display. The first 200 donors receive an American flag and a yard sign that reads: “I Helped Light Up The Sky.”

For more information on sponsorship and donation opportunities, call the Chamber at 813-989-7004 or e-mail ltice@templeterracechamber.com.

Check back for more stories about July 4 on Temple Terrace Patch!

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Parade Participants/Sponsors:

Ward-Seaford Attorneys at Law-Presidential Sponsor

Tampa Electric Company-Congressional Sponsor

Watts Dawson & Associates Inc.-Patron Sponsor

-Benefactor Sponsor

PNC Bank-Benefactor Sponsor

Brace Place-Patriot Sponsor

Marc Morris A/C & Refrigeration Inc.-Patriot Sponsor

-Patriot Sponsor

-Patriot Sponsor

Rotary Club of Temple Terrace-Patriot Sponsor

Law Offices of Nathan L. Townsend, P.A.-Patriot Sponsor

Temple Terrace Preservation Society-Patriot Sponsor

, Terrace Oaks Chapel

-Patriot Sponsor

Tampa Tribune-Media Sponsor

Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce

Temple Terrace Garden Club

Faith Life Church of Tampa

Kelso Road Engine Company

Masque Theatre of Temple Terrace

Thonotosassa Giants, Inc.

Belmont Baptist Church

TT Juniors/TT Women’s Club/Juniorettes

Campaign for Cindy Stuart School Board Dist. 3

Hillsborough County Public Schools

Temple Terrace Police Deptartment

Zendah Grotto

Anytime Fitness

Pinch a Penny

Abbey Medical Clinic

Temple Terrace #330 Masonic Lodge

Sons of Confederate Veteran’s Camp #556 & United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter 2640

Traditional TaeKwondo Center

Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, District 2

The Firehouse Grill & Pub

City Council-City of Temple Terrace Robert Boss

Job’s Daughters (Masonic Youth Group)

King High School Marching Lions

City Council-City of Temple Terrace David Pogorilich

CAIR-Tampa

Carrollwood Cardinals

Triple B Riding Club

Buddy Baseball

MOSI

Temple Terrace United Methodist Church

Virginia’s Piano Keys

Jumping Jeans Kids Consignment Sale

ACLU-Tampa Chapter

Shamrock’s Ale House

Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church & School

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Temple Terrace Highlanders

Gator’s Dockside

Pressure Tech

City Council-City of Temple Terrace Mayor Joe Affronti

All American Sleeper Cab Mfg

BSA Pack/Troop 188

Tampa Bay Technical High School Marching Band

Boy Scout Troop 120

USA’s Skateplex

Destiny Church

Marco’s Pizza

Shaughnessy Lawn Care

City of Temple Terrace-City Council Ron Govin

City of Temple Terrace-City Council Mary Jane Neale-

Libertas Academy

Temple Terrace Little League

Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus

TT Community Church

Girl Scouts Sunburst Neighborhood

Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School

Temple Terrace Pony Baseball

Rugaz Rescue/Tampa Pets Alive

Temple Terrace Bar Association

Temple Terrace Ace Hardware

USF

Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce President/Kathie Miley

City of Temple Terrace-City Council Alison Fernandez

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office-Major Burton

James Rivard Buick GMC