De Soto Grand Parade Returns Apr. 27 with All New Route

BRADENTON — The De Soto Grand Parade returns on Saturday, April 27, with a completely new parade route and other major changes. The DeSoto Society says the event has outgrown its traditional route thanks to increasing entries, more spectators, and bigger floats.

The parade will now start in downtown Bradenton, where crowds will be able to watch floats stage before they stream down Manatee Avenue.

"Our goal is to bring a family-friendly downtown, 'street party' hours before the parade steps off," the group said in a press release.

Activities will include a 5K race, live music, street vendors, and children’s activities before the parade starts at 7:30 PM.

The parade will now stage on Manatee Avenue between 1st Street and 9th Street West. This nine-block section of Manatee Avenue will close at 1:00 PM on parade day, with westbound traffic rerouted around the parade staging area via 9th Avenue W.

Eastbound traffic will not be affected. As in past years, the remainder of Manatee Avenue from 9th Street W to 43rd Street W will close at 5:00 pm to enable crowd protection barricades to be placed along the 1.75-mile route.

This year, northbound lanes of the Green Bridge going to Palmetto will remain open during the parade. The southbound lanes will close roughly one hour before the parade starts. Third Avenue West and Ninth Avenue West will remain open throughout the parade.

Organizers say the new route will greatly improve traffic flow into and out of the downtown area during and after the parade. Several roadways that were closed in previous years will now remain open, allowing traffic to freely move into and out of downtown, even during the parade.