National Weather Service meteorologists forecast showers and thunderstorms in Fort Lauderdale when the parade kicked off at 11 a.m. However, the rainy weather arrived a little earlier, as fans who flocked to the best spots to watch the spectacle got drenched in rain early in the morning.
Raindrops fall from the hat of Florida Panthers fan Brian Vazquez as he takes cover under a balcony in Elbo Room as a storm begins on a Fort Lauderdale beach ahead of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday, June 30, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale.
“It’s a big deal,” Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said. “You don’t get the chance to experience the success of the Florida Panthers and Stanley Cup [often]. The economic impact is immeasurable. All hotel rooms are already booked.”
Florida Panthers fan Kenny Shane, left, who flew in from Stuart at 3:30 p.m. and was the first to arrive, cheers outside the Elbo Room: “slept in my Jeep in the garage” before the Stanley Cup Victory Parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday, June 30, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale.
Rain didn’t stop Panthers fans from gathering under a canopy for the Stanley Cup Victory Parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday, June 30, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale.
