Just how big was Sunday’s public celebration for the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers?
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis wasn’t holding back on social media. “What a day to remember!” he posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “Fort Lauderdale Beach was roaring with pride today … with a parade that doubled, if not tripled, the turnout from last year.”
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand carries the Stanley Cup through the crowd during the championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Niko Mikkola, left, and Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers celebrate with fans during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer on the Florida Panthers as they pass by during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Nate Schmidt of the Florida Panthers revels in the glory during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Seth Jones and Carter Verhaeghe of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup championship during the 2025 victory parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Jesper Boqvist of the Florida Panthers rallies with fans during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
One of the buses carrying members of the Florida Panthers passes fans along State Road A1A on Fort Lauderdale beach during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Jonah Gadjovich of the Florida Panthers passes by the Elbo Room during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Members of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue join Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand at the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky greets fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers hoists the Stanley Cup in front of the crowd along the 2025 championship parade route on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate with a replica Stanley Cup in the water as they wait for the start of the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers rally with the crowd during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers teammates Evan Rodrigues, Gustav Forsling, Nate Schmidt, Jesper Boqvist ride in the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Kari Barnett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Dmitry Kulikov greets fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans gathered along the route of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday morning, June 22, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans gathered along the route of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday morning, June 22, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans carry a Stanley Cup replica in front of the Elbo Room at the corner of State Road A1A and Las Olas Boulevard before the start of the Florida Panthers victory parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A fan shows his support for the Florida Panthers before the start of the Stanley Cup victory parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Dmitry Kulikov greets fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans gathered along the route of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday morning, June 22, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Seth Jones of the Florida Panthers raises the Stanley Cup for the crowd at the 2025 championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The Sherman family from Boca Raton staked out their spot in the sand at 7:45 a.m. for the Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade on Fort Lauderdale beach. They were at the parade last year and wanted to get ahead of the crowds this time. “We’re trying to make a beach day out of it too,” said Analise Sherman, 39, as she poured prosecco into plastic cups on top of a cooler. (Kari Barnett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Evan Rodrigues signs a shoe along the route of the 2025 championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Davie resident Esteban Medel, 43, was in position at the Bayshore Drive entrance to Fort Lauderdale beach at 7 a.m. Sunday, five hours before the start of the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup championship parade. (Kari Barnett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers fans arrive from the Water Taxi to Fort Lauderdale beach for the Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers fans arrive from the Water Taxi to Fort Lauderdale beach for the Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fort Lauderdale Police Mounted Unit making its way south from Bayshore Drive ahead of the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Kari Barnett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Jakob Best, 21, from Orlando, arrived at the Panthers’ Stanley Cup parade on Fort Lauderdale beach at 10 a.m. dressed in a panther costume, and still had it on hours later despite brutal heat. Best has been a Panthers fan since first going to a game over 10 years ago. (Cameron Priester/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky greets fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers owner Vincent viola rides in the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans gathered along the route of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday morning, June 22, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Gustav Forsling greets fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell cheer with fans along the route of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer on the Florida Panthers as they pass by during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer on the Florida Panthers as they pass by during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis waves to Panthers fans during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Gustav Forsling celebrates on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Aaron Ekblad celebrates on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dmitry Kulikov, left and Nate Schmidt celebrate on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Brad Marchand and his daughters elebrate on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Panthers Coach Paul Maurice celebrates on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans celebrate in front of the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Members of the Florida Panthers celebrate on the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Gustav Forsling of the Florida Panthers is surrounded by fans at the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers players and their families partied with fans at the rally stage during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans wait in line to get a Water Taxi at the Aquatic Center at the end of the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans gathered along the route of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory parade on Sunday morning, June 22, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans wait in line to get a Water Taxi at the Aquatic Center at the end of the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans wait in line to get a Water Taxi at the Aquatic Center at the end of the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Fans celebrate during the Panthers championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Sean Pitts/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Tripled? Slow down. Official estimates weren’t yet in as of Monday afternoon. Fort Lauderdale police and fire rescue officials said they still were calculating the turnout, which itself is not exactly a science.
Trantalis later promised to leave the official crowd size calculations to the experts. But with a bright sun this year replacing the thunderclouds seen during last year’s parade, Sunday both looked and felt colossal.
“It was much bigger,” Trantalis said. “We had a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, excitement and pride. We really are a hockey town.”
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue spokesman Frank Guzman said the oppressive heat brought its own problems. “We responded to over 100 calls,” he said, ranging from people complaining of weakness and passing out to those suffering heat exhaustion and falling. “It was an extremely busy afternoon, but in line with what we expected considering the weather conditions.”
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net/@rafael.olmeda.