It’s that time of year again. The tourist invasion has reached a near fever pitch, the restaurants are packed, the beaches are too, and the lawn chairs on the sidewalks …... wait, what was that last thing. You heard it right. I love introducing people to our wonderful little town in the last weeks of April when the whole town is going gaga for the parade. In a time when our lives are so filled with facebook check-ins, tweets, blogs, tumbles and gosh knows what else, it just makes me feel good that our sweet little town still loves it’s hometown parade. I have so many treasured memories of our parade through the years. Walking along from barbecue to barbecue to visit friends before the parade started. Always the same grumpy comment from some -- perfect time to commit a crime in Bradenton because every law enforcement vehicle is in the parade with their sirens blasting. Bah Humbug! I have always loved the marching bands, but the best music comes from krewe floats. My youngest daughter developed parade science when she figured out at a young age that if she only wore one bead and would hide her stash until the end, she got more beads. She would look like Mr. “T” by the nights end!!! So when you see the lawn chairs on Manatee Avenue, you will know it’s time for the parade, another of Bradenton’s treasures.
