A Champa Bay tradition continues on the 4th of July as the City of Tampa will have a boat parade celebrating the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa’s Boom By the Bay is happening on Monday and Tampa Mayor, Jane Castor, announced that the boat parade will be happening along the Hillsborough River.
The boat parade will start at 6:15 p.m. at Sparkman Wharf and travel down the Hillsborough River. The boat parade ends at Armature Works. Mayor Castor would love everyone to wear their best red, white, and Bolts blue and cheer on the Bolts along the Tampa Riverwalk.
So, the big question is…will any Lightning players be at the boat parade? Mayor Castor says, “Although the players won’t participate in the parade, this is our way of saying thanks to the boys for all that they have done out there on the ice this season.” Even though the players won’t be at the Champa Bay tradition we know Tampa Bay knows how to show their pride for the Bolts.
There is a way to send a message to the Bolts on Monday. You can stop by Curtis Hixon Park and write them a message on a giant banner that will be given to the team at a later date. “Our team gave it their all, they left everything that they had on the ice and almost made it to that historic third-time win,” Castor said.
Before and after the boat parade is over before Boom By the Bay you can attend family-friendly activities, live entertainment and three firework displays. There will also be food trucks, a water ski show and a hot dog eating competition.
Tampa says they have the largest-ever fireworks display along Tampa’s iconic Bayshore Boulevard. The fireworks will go off starting at dusk and you will be able to view them from many locations around downtown Tampa.
Boom by the Bay: Celebrate Bolts with 4th of July boat parade https://t.co/SSS15ENIIQ | @WFLAJennifer reports pic.twitter.com/OMjOOLmIfP
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) June 29, 2022