
Under threatening rain clouds from the northeast with the bright sun shining from the west, Gulfport celebrated its traditional 4th of July parade beginning at 6 p.m. along Beach and Shore boulevards punctuated by the Casino Ballroom at the turn.
By nightfall, raindrops kept falling on an off until the professional fireworks carefully stacked at the end of Williams Pier, east of the Casino on Boca Ciega Bay, were too soaked to safely work. City officials cancelled the pyrotechnics show at 9:20 p.m. as crowds of hundreds packed local restaurants and bars or huddled under building overhangs in an effort to stay dry.
On the morning of Thursday, July 5, the fireworks show was officially rescheduled for 9 p.m. that night and the 20-minute display was a beauty garnering whoops, whistles, hollers and cheers of appreciation from the enthusiastic crowd that lined the bay.







