"Boom By The Bay:" Tampa's "Thank You" to the Lightning

Tampa's "Boom by the Bay" 4th of July celebration is back and bigger than ever! That's the promise from Mayor Jane Castor and city officials, who say this year's event will include family-friendly activities all around downtown. Among the highlights of the day, a boat parade to honor and thank the Stanley Cup finalists Tampa Bay Lightning.

"They provided us with so much joy and excitement," said Mayor Jane Castor, "that we as a community need to say 'thank you.' We need all of those players to physically see how much we appreciate them."

The Lightning lost the Stanley Cup finals in six games to the Colorado Avalanche. None of the players are expected to take part in the boat parade, which will start at Harbour Island.

Fireworks will begin at 9:15 pm, with the biggest show set to take place off Bayshore Blvd. Ryan Gardner is with Magic in the Sky, and promises this will be the largest show the city has ever seen. "These fireworks are different than from the past," Gardner said, "They will go up to heights of 600 feet before they break. That's bigger than the tallest buildings in downtown Tampa."

Other fireworks shows will take place at Sparkman Wharf and the Armature Works.

photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content