Seas The Day!

Sanibel is turning red, white and blue next week!

If you love a small town parade, this is the one for you. Come one, come all to the best small town parade in Florida!

This year’s theme is Seas the Day, so we are excited to see what’s in store and how it will be interpreted.

Will we see mermaids? The Shell Love Bug, perhaps?!

If you can’t join us in person, you can watch the parade here on the Sanibel Street Cams, starting at 9:30 am.

The day begins bright and early with a free pancake breakfast at the Sanibel Community Church on Periwinkle Way, followed by a pre- and post parade party at our office!

We invite all visitors to join us at the Cottages to Castles office for some good old fashioned parade viewing hospitality, with complimentary red, white and blue cupcakes, as well as child-friendly and adult beverages. A good time is always had by all!

We’re at the top of the parade route, so you’ll enjoy a prime viewing location, and your friends and kids will be so excited to be among the first to see the decorated floats, boats, Segways, golf carts and more go by, tossing candies, beads, and more!

The Sanibel Community Park is another great spot to view the parade.
If you require handicap parking, free parking is available, as well as ADA-compliant restrooms. Little ones can enjoy the shaded playground until the parade starts, and there is ample shade along the shared use path as well.

But, wait! There’s more! The fun doesn’t end when the parade is over! It’s followed by the island’s longest-running July Fourth event, the 40th Annual San-Cap Optimist Club Road Rally.

This annual game is part road race, part trivia, as groups compete to solve puzzles while driving a course around Sanibel and Captiva islands. Registered teams can win based on time, mileage and most questions answered correctly. This is a family event, and is fun for all ages! You’ll find out quickly how well you can count No Parking Signs or the number of rabbits on mailboxes on Rabbit Road and see if you’re right – or wrong!

A fun after party is held at the Sanibel Grill, where the winners are announced, along with the last place finisher – everyone is a winner!

There are many options for viewing the bayside fireworks as well. Weather permitting, the fireworks will be launched at 9pm, and your best viewing spots will be from the Causeway Islands and the bayside of Sanibel.

The best viewing spots for those with disabilities can be found at the Sanibel Boat Ramp, and by the Sanibel Chamber of Commerce. Handicap parking is available (free), and a paved shared-use path leads to the base of the bridge, where you can enjoy a front-row seat for the show.

We look forward to sharing this very special corner of the world with each and every one of you, no matter where you are, as we celebrate the 243rd birthday of the United States of America.

Happy Birthday, America!

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