After a two-year pandemic pause, Sanibel is ready to celebrate our nation’s birthday once again this year!
All of our popular Independence Day events are coming back, including our quintessential hometown parade, road rally, fireworks and more.
The perfect “Fourth of July on Sanibel” itinerary?
Bring your appetite to the free pancake breakfast at the Sanibel Community Church (1740 Periwinkle Way) to be held 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Next, our 4th of July Parade will commence at 9:30 a.m. starting in front of the Bailey’s Shopping Center. The parade heads east down Periwinkle Way and finishes at Jerry’s Shopping Center. Make sure the kids wear plenty of sunscreen, hydrate and — of course — dress up!
Family fun continues at Jerry’s parking log with slip-and-slides, a bounce house, dunk tank, water slides, and more. The Boy Scouts will also be serving hot dogs, snow cones, and other refreshments as part of their fundraising.
The 42nd Annual Road Rally — the second longest-running island event after the Sanibel Shell Festival — starts at noon outside of the Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market at 703 Tarpon Road. This popular fundraiser is a vehicular scavenger hunt, where teams are given clues and follow a map to find the answers. Prizes are awarded for best time, mileage, and best decorated car. Participants can also enjoy an After-Rally party held at the same location at The Sanibel Grill.
After dinner, end the holiday with our illustrious fireworks scheduled for 9:00 p.m., rain or shine! The fireworks display is best viewed from the Sanibel Causeway. From there, you can easily see Fort Myers Beach, Estero and Cape Coral’s displays from afar. Arrive early, as roadside parking is not allowed for safety reasons (including on the bridges, Causeway Boulevard, and Bailey Road). Another option is to head out on the water for a “front row” view of fireworks aboard a cruise with Adventures in Paradise (book soon due to limited seating).
We have a handful of openings at Ocean’s Reach for the July 4th holiday, so please give us a call at 800-336-6722 if you’re able to join us!
