Lightning on Longboat causes Freedom Fest cancellation

Despite officials' best efforts, poor weather caused them to cancel the 'world's shortest parade' and other Fourth of July activities.

By Dana Kampa
| 10:56 a.m. July 4, 2025

Charlie Metzler, Samantha Trotter, Mimi Kruk, JoDene Moneuse, Kelsie Rokicki and 6-month-old puppy Nova held out hope that Freedom Fest and other Fourth of July activities on Longboat Key would continue. However, lightning forced officials to cancel.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Those seeking some Fourth of July weekend fun on Longboat Key have something to look forward to yet. The Longboat Key Garden Club announced that it plans to release the 150 butterflies it had prepared for this year's Freedom Fest.

The butterfly release is planned for 9 a.m. on July 5 at Bicentennial Park.

Officials held out hope until the last minute that Freedom Fest could continue on July 4, despite the rain. However, lightning and thunder forced them to make the tough call to cancel the Fourth of July festivities at Bicentennial Park.

Officials with the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce and other participating organizations packed up celebratory materials from Freedom Fest, which was canceled because of storms.

A few intrepid festival goers turned up to the morning parade, including a soggy pair of black Labrador retrievers named Kibble and Parker.

However, not all is lost. The Rotary Club of Longboat Key is still hosting a virtual "Hot Diggity Dog" competition and invites community members who pre-registered for the contest to send in their best photos of costumed pups.

Though would-be parade-goers were sad to see this year's Freedom Fest parade canceled on Longboat Key, Diane Weisman's pair of Labrador retrievers were perfectly content in the rain.

The deadline to enter photos is 6 p.m. July 5. Email submissions to [email protected] or text them to 847-274-8741, and remember to identify the owners and pets included.

Rotary will still award prizes to "Most Patriotic Dog," "Most Creative Dog Costume," "Best Owner & Dog Combination," and several "Honorable Mention" prizes, courtesy of Dog Perfect. The club hopes to give out prizes in person at Bayfront Dog Park soon and will announce further details.

Indoor activities at Bird Key Yacht Club and Longboat Harbour Condominium remain in place.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.