De Soto Parade Returns this Saturday

BRADENTON — The De Soto Grand Parade returns this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. This year's parade, which follows a new route, will be preceded by live music in downtown Bradenton, the step-off location.

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

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 Saturday, and westbound traffic will be 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.