Sanibel serves up a star-spangled Fourth of July with pancakes, parade and fireworks

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK) — Red, white and blue takes over Sanibel this Fourth of July as the island celebrates America's birthday with everything from festive pancakes and a hometown parade to a giant water balloon battle and fireworks over the bay.

• SEE ALSO: America 250: Your guide to Fourth of July fun across Southwest Florida

The celebration starts bright and early at Jerry's Café, where the restaurant is serving up patriotic pancakes stacked high with fresh strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream and colorful sprinkles. It's a sweet way to fuel up before a full day of festivities.

At 9:30 a.m., Periwinkle Way transforms into a sea of stars and stripes as the annual Independence Day Parade rolls from Tarpon Bay Road to Casa Ybel Road. This year's parade celebrates "America 250," honoring the nation's 250th birthday with 45 decorated floats, local organizations, businesses and plenty of patriotic pride.

Once the parade wraps up, the celebration keeps rolling. Jerry's Foods hosts its annual Star-Spangled Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with face painting, food samples and family-friendly activities.

The fun continues at the Sanibel Recreation Center during the annual Stars, Stripes & Sanibel celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can enjoy inflatables, swimming, crafts, live entertainment, an apple pie contest and one of the island's favorite traditions: a lively water balloon battle with the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District.

If all that celebrating works up an appetite, Cheeburger Cheeburger is getting into the holiday spirit with its signature Breakfast Burger and a festive red, white and blue milkshake.

Sanibel Mayor Mike Miller said he's looking forward to seeing the community come together for one of the island's biggest celebrations of the year, "I can't wait to see the water balloon battle. It gets so lively on the island, and we welcome everyone."

For many residents, the Fourth of July is more than a holiday. It's also one of the biggest days of the year for local businesses.

Sanibel Public Information Officer Melissa Rice said the celebration showcases everything that makes the island special. "It's incredible to see how the community shows up for the Fourth of July. I recommend coming early because the road closes at 9. This is an all-day festivity here on Sanibel."

The celebration ends with a bang at approximately 9 p.m. when fireworks light up the sky from the north end of Bailey Road. Spectators can catch the show from bayside beaches, the Sanibel Causeway or boats across San Carlos Bay.

Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John Lai said the island's fireworks display offers one of the best views in Southwest Florida, "On the causeway you can see so many fireworks going off all at once from different directions. It's incredible."

Whether you're digging into patriotic pancakes, waving flags at the parade, dodging water balloons or ending the night under a sky full of fireworks, Sanibel is inviting everyone to celebrate Independence Day island style.

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