Hundreds turn up for July 4th parades in Melbourne, Merritt Island
Elsewhere in the county, hundreds more congregated on Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island waving flags and dressed in red, white and blue as Brevard County Sheriff's Office deputies honored Vietnam War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Melvin Morris. Morris was shot three times in 1969 after rescuing a fallen comrade near Chi Lang in Vietnam. In the process, he single-handedly destroyed an enemy force that had pinned down his battalion, the U.S. Army said.
More: Does Disney World do special fireworks for Fourth of July? See events at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT
More: Will rain damper Fourth of July plans in Brevard? We'll let you know the forecast
It wasn't until 2014, after he'd retired to Cocoa, that Morris received the Medal of Honor for his heroism overseas. He served as the grand marshal of Friday's Merritt Island parade.
Merritt Island's parade was organized by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office while Melbourne's event was sponsored by the Space Coast Young Republicans.
The daytime parades preceded multiple fireworks shows and other events scheduled for the evening around the county. Those such as the "Symphony Under the Stars" and fireworks show in Cocoa Village and the Drone Light Show Spectacular in Cocoa Beach were expected to draw large crowds.
Jacqueline and Peter McCullough of Palm Bay brought their two children out to watch the Melbourne parade as it made its way down New Haven Avenue. They waved and cheered as a train of jeeps blasting patriotic tunes lumbered past.
Even as the morning sun grew more powerful, the family was unfazed by the heat.
'We're just thankful it didn't rain,' Jacqueline said. 'It's nice to get the day off to celebrate. Growing up, I never missed the Fourth of July, so it's nice to share that with my family now.'
For U.S. Army veteran Andrew Farthing, the day was as much about duty as about festivity. 'I will always celebrate America,' Farthing said. 'No matter what's going on in the world, this is our country, and we owe it to ourselves and our children to love her even when that's difficult, or we're not sure how to.'
Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @tyler_vazquez
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Hundreds gather for July 4th parades in Melbourne, Merritt Island
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
American Culture Quiz: Test yourself on patriotic provisions and beer breakthroughs
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States. This week's quiz highlights patriotic provisions, beer breakthroughs — and much more. Can you get all 8 questions right? To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here. Also, to take our latest News Quiz — published every Friday — click here.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Things to do in Milwaukee 4th of July weekend (besides going to Summerfest)
While a growing list of communities mark Independence Day on a day other than the Fourth, there's still plenty of fireworks, parades and other civic celebrations on July 4 (weather permitting, of course). Among them this year: fireworks at dusk in Alcott, Gordon, Humboldt, Jackson, Kletzsch, Lake, Lincoln, Sheridan and Washington parks in Milwaukee County; a parade starting at 9 a.m. at Swan Boulevard and North Avenue in Wauwatosa; a parade starting at 11 a.m. in downtown Waukesha; and fireworks over Pewaukee Lake at dusk. For details, go to RELATED: When Milwaukee tried to make 4th of July celebrations 'Safe and Sane' to save lives Old World Wisconsin, the living-history attraction in Eagle, celebrates Independence Day July 4-5 with a slew of special events, including food, drinks, games, old-time base ball, a pie-eating contest and more. Old World Wisconsin is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for Independence Day doings is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $13 for children and free for kids younger than 5. Info: The Milwaukee County Zoo has $4 admission on July 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular parking and concession fees apply. Info: RELATED: Free admission days and events at Milwaukee museums and the zoo in July Bristol Renaissance Faire, AT 12550 120th Ave. in Kenosha, opens for the season July 5, with 16 stages of entertainment, food, drinks, games, cosplay goings-on and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Online tickets are $40, $15 for kids ages 5 to 12, and free for children 4 and younger. Info: This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Things to do in Milwaukee 4th of July weekend (besides Summerfest)
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Speculation Arises as Ben Simmons Spotted in Miami to Begin NBA Free Agency
Speculation Arises as Ben Simmons Spotted in Miami to Begin NBA Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the NBA Free Agency period kicks off, all eyes are on star players making their next moves, and a recent Instagram story from Ben Simmons on Saturday has set the rumor mill ablaze. Advertisement The Australian basketball standout, known for his versatility and defensive prowess, was spotted riding in what appears to be a jet ski off the coast of Miami Beach, Florida, just hours ago. The timing couldn't be more intriguing. With free agency set to officially begin on July 6th, Simmons' presence in Miami, home to the Miami Heat, a franchise perpetually in the mix for premier talents, has sparked widespread speculation. The story, posted just hours ago on his official account @bensimmons, shows Simmons sporting a life vest and cap, cruising the waves under a cloudy sky, hinting at a relaxed start to the offseason. Ben Simmons shares a picture of himself in a life vest and cap, riding a jet ski in Miami Beach, Florida amid Free After challenging tenures with both the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, where injuries and inconsistent play marred his 2024-25 season, the 28-year-old is at a career crossroads. Advertisement Simmons, a phenom back in his days with the LSU Tigers, possesses the size, versatility and defensive instincts to make invaluable contributions to a championship contender. His recent excursion signals a potential signing with the Heat, a team known for its culture of gritty mentality and ability to develop players under coach Erik Spoelstra. Whether it's a strategic hint or just a well-timed getaway, one thing is clear: the basketball world will be watching closely to see where the former No. 1 pick lands next. Related: Heat's First Round Draft Pick Struggles Mightily in NBA Summer League Debut This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
