Melbourne Ready For Independence Day Festivities
By Space Coast Daily // July 4, 2012
Highlights Include Fireworks, Parade
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Some traditions are long-standing family favorites, passed down from generation to generation.
Such is the case with the annual Independence Day celebration in Melbourne.
Woven into the fabric of families living in the Harbor City for more than a century, this year’s celebration is no exception.
Activities kick off at 10 a.m. today with the annual Independence Day Parade.
The city of Melbourne is co-sponsoring the parade, which is organized by Honor America, Inc.
The parade begins on New Haven Avenue near the railroad tracks and proceeds west to Oak Street, then travels north on Oak Street to the Liberty Bell Museum.
Then as evening falls, residents will be treated to a gala fireworks display over the Indian River Lagoon.
Fireworks schedule
The fireworks display is scheduled for 9 p.m. over the waters of the Indian River Lagoon just south of the Melbourne Causeway.
Claude Edge Front Street Park provides the primary viewing area for the fireworks display.
As in the past, free bus transportation will be provided between the park and the Melbourne Auditorium at 625 Hibiscus Boulevard.
Buses will depart for the park at 7:10 p.m., 7:50 p.m. and 8:10 p.m.
Return trip buses to the auditorium are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 8:50 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10:10 p.m.
Because of the July 4 holiday, some roadways are to be closed at about 8 p.m. for the fireworks display and are to be opened by about 10 p.m.
The street closings include the Melbourne Causeway (U.S. 192) from U.S. Highway 1 to Riverside Drive in Indialantic, New Haven Avenue between U.S. Highway 1 and the causeway, Riverview Drive at Strawbridge Avenue and Front Street at Melbourne Avenue. The causeway also will be closed to pedestrians.
The $15,000 cost of Melbourne’s Independence Day celebration is being funded by community contributions, with the majority of funding coming from private businesses.
“The generous contributions are ensuring that this traditional community celebration can continue,” Melbourne City Manager Jack Schluckebier said.
Sponsors
Supporters at the $1,000 co-sponsor level include DRS Technologies, Gray-Robinson Law Firm, Health First Health Plans, Melbourne Greyhound Park/Club 52, Reiss Engineering, and Waste Management.
Co-sponsors at the $500 level include The B.A.C.K. Center; Baskerville-Donovan; Bright House Networks; Coastal Mitsubishi/Coastal Hyundai; Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A.; Embraer, Frazier Engineering; Northrop Grumman, Ortega Industrial Contractors; and Sutton Properties.
Other supporters include Morse Communications, and the Town of Melbourne Beach, $250 each; Carr, Riggs & Ingram LLC, Certified General Contractors, LittleJohn Engineering Associates, and PFM Asset Management, $200; Ascension Catholic Church, Data Flow Systems, Glover Oil, Henderson Southeast Corporation, and Modus Operandi Inc., $100; AXIS Data Solutions and Prudential Sterling Properties, $50; and Joyal Construction, $25.
Other contributors include Ira Adams, James Davenport, Abigail and Ryan Erickson, Charles & Laverne Frost, Paul Gougelman, Eric & Alice Griggs, Kathy Meehan, Jerry & Peggy Oliver, William & Deborah Palmer, Lorraine Proulx, Pat Swatek in memory of Enid Swatek, and James & Patricia Thompson.
