Bradenton's de Soto Heritage Festival Parade returns: 3 million beads and 87 years of tradition

BRADENTON, Fla. - If you take a drive down Manatee Avenue right now, you’ll see the telltale signs. The chairs are out, and the spots are being claimed. It’s a sure signal that the de Soto Grand Parade is getting ready to kick off Saturday night.

While Tampa has Gasparilla and its pirates, Manatee County has the "conquistadores." For 87 years, they’ve been welcoming guests to one of the oldest and largest night parades in the southeastern United States. This Saturday, the area is expected to welcome more than 100,000 visitors to the parade route.

The backstory:

The Hernando de Soto Historical Society celebrates a history that began nearly 500 years ago when Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and 600 conquistadors landed in what is now Bradenton. Today, that heritage is kept alive by a dedicated group of locals.

"Tampa has pirates, we have conquistadors. The men and ladies in tights with the feathers," Jeff Nance, president of the Hernando de Soto Historical Society, said. "We cherish our tradition, cherish our heritage, and we want to share that with the community and have that grow, so people know who we are and what we are about."

The parade isn't just a local affair; it draws crews and floats from across the country, including delegates from Bradenton's sister city, Barcarrota, Spain.

The conquistadors will have six floats in the parade, including their prized San Cristobol. And for those hunting for treasures, you won't leave empty-handed.

"Here’s all of our beads," organizers said while showcasing the inventory. "We estimate there will be 3 million thrown during the parade."

Big picture view:

But the impact of the society goes beyond the party. The 125 members of the organization work year-round to raise millions of dollars for local charities and scholarships, while providing a massive economic boost to the region.

"We do more than just putting on great events, we also stimulate and bring a lot of money into Manatee County," Tom Murphy, co-chairman of the de Soto Heritage Festival Grand Parade, said. "We have crews that travel here from all over the United States. It’s an all-year-long job to be able to put all of this together, but there is nothing more exciting that makes me prouder of this organization."

What's next:

If you haven't experienced the magic of the night parade, organizers say it is well worth the trip to see the city glow.

Courtesy: City of Bradenton

"The lighted floats with the sunset are just beautiful," Murphy said. "You got to see the lights, bring yourself, bring your family out. Go home with a bunch of beads and a lot of memories."

The de Soto Ball will be held Friday night, which is when a new queen and princess will be announced.

The parade starts on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. It kicks off in downtown Bradenton and heads down Manatee Avenue.

The parade will be staged on Manatee Avenue between 1st Street and 9th Street West. 

Traffic changes and detours

This nine-block section of Manatee Avenue will close at 12 p.m. on parade day with westbound Manatee Avenue traffic re-routed around the parade staging area via 9th Avenue West. Eastbound traffic will not be affected. 

The remainder of Manatee Avenue from 9th Street West to 43rd Street West will close at 5 p.m. to enable crowd protection barricades to be placed along the 1.75-mile route. 

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. This route greatly improves traffic flow into and out of the downtown area during and after the parade.

Several roadways that were closed in previous years, now remain open, allowing traffic to freely move into and out of downtown, even during the parade.