Melbourne celebrates Fourth of July with patriotic parade

MELBOURNE — Retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bill Michaels greeted Melbourne's Independence Day parade participants with salutes and patriotic greetings as they marched by his position.

"Happy Fourth of July!" Michaels called to a group of Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighters, standing at the corner of New Haven Avenue and Municipal Lane.

Michaels served from 1975-95 as an aircraft mechanic crew chief. On Tuesday morning, the Melbourne resident wore his white T-shirt from the 2008 Florida Vietnam and All Veterans Reunion at Wickham Park to the parade.

What does July 4 mean to him?

"Freedom. It's free speech, free religion, free life. And the men and women that protect it: They're all heroes, whether they work in an office, work on a front line or behind it," Michaels said.

Hundreds of people cheered and clapped during Melbourne's annual parade, which staged on Melbourne Avenue, proceeded downtown and turned north on Oak Street to its end point at the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum.

Tonight, city officials plan to launch a Fourth of July fireworks show at 9 p.m. from Front Street Park. Before the fireworks, the Air Sports Parachute Team will deploy skydivers dressed in Uncle Sam costumes — and carrying U.S. flags — from the Valiant Air Command's C-47 Tico Belle.

The Uncle Sam skydivers will land on the Melbourne Causeway.

Donations hit $22,162 in support of the fireworks show, up from $16,000 last year and $11,415 in 2015.

Where to celebrate July Fourth 2017 in Brevard

Winner of Firecracker 5K in Melbourne new to this race, but not running

On Tuesday morning, about 1,500 runners and walkers participated in the Firecracker 5K, which started at the Front Street Civic Center and led over the Melbourne Causeway and back.

Contact Neale at 321-242-3638, rneale@floridatoday.com or follow @RickNeale1 on Twitter