2025 Grand Parade in Edison Festival of Lights was the largest ever
More than 300 groups, including FOX 4 and your Community Correspondents, marched in the parade Saturday night.
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Austin Schargorodski
FOX 4 Certified Meteorologist Katie Walls walked alongside the StormFOX weather vehicle in the Grand Parade in the Edison Festival of Lights Saturday night.
By:
WFTX Digital Team
Posted
and last updated
FT MYERS, Fla. — Hundreds of groups marched before cheering crowds of spectators Saturday night, as the annual Grand Parade in the Edison Festival of Lights once again took over downtown Ft Myers.
Austin Schargorodski
Spectators wave in the crowd as vehicles and floats parade by during the annual Grand Parade in the Edison Festival of Lights on February 16, 2025.
The brightly lit participants represented all groups, from law enforcement, to utilities and local businesses, to local community, theater, and church groups, and local broadcast television groups.
See what it was like to march in the parade, with Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski and FOX 4:
2025 Grand Parade in Edison Festival of Lights was the largest ever
At the staging area at Ft Myers High School Saturday afternoon, dozens of volunteers were working hard, scurrying about in golf carts to organize the huge event in near-record heat.
Austin Schargorodski
Cape Coral Community Correspondent Bella Line hands out keepsake hockey pucks to the crowd, as FOX 4 is the official Southwest Florida broadcast partner of the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers — and fans can get the games free over the air on channel 36.3 or on Xfinity channel 221.
Organizers told FOX 4 it was their largest parade yet, with a whopping 334 groups decked out in lights and showing off their special talents and community support.
Austin Schargorodski
A group of children jumped up and down after receiving books from the FOX 4 team during the parade. Every year, FOX 4 helps raise money for the Scripps Howard Fund's Give a Child a Book campaign. The fund is the philanthropic arm of the station's parent company, the E.W. Scripps Company.
Such community support includes the Scripps Howard Fund's Give a Child a Book campaign. FOX 4 helps raise money for the effort every year, and the work ensures children at a local elementary school get to choose several books for free. In the Grand parade, FOX 4 also distributes free books to children along the route.
Austin Schargorodski
FOX 4 Anchor Amy Wegmann hands out books to children along the route in recognition of FOX 4's annual Give a Child a Book campaign, in conjunction with the Scripps Howard Fund.
The parade has been a city staple for nearly every year since 1938.
Austin Schargorodski
A parade-goer shows off a FOX 4 Florida Panthers hockey puck as a parade giveaway. FOX 4 is the official Southwest Florida broadcast partner of the Stanley Cup Champion team — and fans can watch games for free over the air on channel 36.3 or on Xfinity cable channel 221.