- May 3, 2025
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Dogs dress their best for the 2022 Hot Diggity Dog Parade and Costume Contest.
Photo by Lesley DwyerTammie Hall, Hollis Hall and Colton Hall with Archie
The Longboat Island Chapel float
The Longboat Key Chapel ready to march.
Anna W and Enzo
Katie and Auggie Armstrong
Bromley Yeager cruises relaxes in a Cozy Coupe.
Biscuit waits for the parade to start.
Biscuit's float took about a week to make.
Earl and Gilda Larson
Ken and Suzy Press with Max and Marty
Hetty aka Little Miss Firecracker
Gail and Hetty Yeager
The dogs dress as patriotically as the people at Freedom Fest.
Vic Heckler, Eileen Kamerick and Tully
Grand Marshal Lisa Walsh and Steve Branham
Grand Marshal Lisa Walsh rides in a red Corvette driven by Steve Branham at Longboat Key's 2022 Freedom Fest.
Emily and Rhys Walsh
The parade kicks off with Lisa Walsh in a red Corvette.
Jim Turk, Zach Humphries, Brady Humphries, Jonna Kinney, and Nick Jasek
Martina Kinslow and Tinkerbell
Kristy and Kiwi Connelly
Joan Sherry and Jeff Driver
The crowd lines Bay Isles Road.
Larry and Linda Theuer
Emergency vehicles light up Bay Isles Road.
Sophia, Lucia and Jenny Abella
Jackson, Kacey and Cole Pelfrey
Bonnie Schneider, Jeff Gooderham and Chris Gooderham
Anne and Colton Hall
The Observer Media Group
The Longboat Key Fire rescue vehicles
The Hot Diggity Dog Parade
The Junk King float
The Longboat Key Island Chapel float
In the 2022 parade, the Longboat Key Island Chapel had a car and a bike.
Photo by Lesley DwyerThe Hot Diggity Dog parade has floats too.
The Micheal Saunders team
The Michael Saunders float
The Michael Saunders team ride in the parade.
Ava, Kristen and Steven Gilbank
Jeff and Anne-Marie Jannuzzo
Vicki and George Workman
ChuckO entertains the crowd.
Edison Grieco and Toni Bixler
The Longboat Island Chapel float
Brad Marner, Scott Kuykendall and Vince LaPorta
Robbie Ball dishes out waffles after the parade.
Robbie Ball and Robbie Ball, the father and son owners of the Blue Dolphin
Ivan Gould and Herbie
Tryla Larson, Sharon Gould and Ivan Gould at the 2022 Freedom Fest on Longboat Key
Photo by Lesley DwyerOfficer Kevin Smith and Marine Officer Josh Connors
Harper Weston, Delores Brown and Jesse Brown
Jim Seaton and Andrew Vac
Bryce, Sawyer and Owen Walton
Chris Forshey's butterfly wants to stick around before flying away.
Matt, Rhys, Lisa and Emily Walsh
Biscuit, Tony and Nancy Roberts take home the prize for Most Creative Costume.
Tully wins Most Patriotic Costume.
Harry, Danielle, Harbor, and Hal Christensen
It was as hot as a firecracker July Fourth morning, but that didn’t cool the fun for Longboat Key’s annual Freedom Fest, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. Grand Marshal Lisa Walsh led the parade in a red Corvette convertible.
Flags and people lined Bay Isles Road for the “Shortest Parade in America.”
The Hot Diggity Dog costume contest drew on the patriotic theme of the day, along with a large helping of creativity.
Biscuit arrived in a hot air balloon. The float took owners Tony and Nancy Roberts about a week to make.
“The hardest part was finding a balloon, so we decided on an exercise ball,” Nancy said.
The hard work paid off when Biscuit took home the prize for Most Creative Costume. Prize baskets included gourmet dog treats and grooming gift certificates.
In an Uncle Sam hat and beard, plus a red, white and blue tulle neck tutu, Tully won the award for Most Patriotic Costume. Tammie and Archie Hall were awarded Best Owner and Dog Combo.
Jesse Brown didn’t have a dog on a leash, but he had two grandkids in a stroller. “This is the best parade ever! The kids love it,” he said.
After the parade, the crowd gathered in the butterfly garden at Town Hall. The Blue Dolphin dished out waffles, and the Longboat Key Garden Club released 100 monarch butterflies.
“You have to order them eight weeks out,” said LBKGC President Susan Phillips. The butterflies are raised to order and come packaged in breathable envelopes. Once the envelopes were passed out and opened, some of the butterflies hung around on hands and hats before flying away.
It was Kristy Connelly and Kiwi’s first time at Freedom Fest. They only planned to watch but Kiwi was in an American flag T-shirt and got signed up on the spot for the parade. As a newbie, Connelly had no idea of the stiff competition. She pointed to Biscuit in the hot air balloon and said, “That’ll probably be me next year.”
