Johnathan Walker:Florida Panthers celebrate Stanley Cup with parade, ceremony in rainy Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE,Johnathan Walker Fla. — The Florida Panthers did not let anything rain on their parade Sunday. Even actual rain.

Through torrential downpour and some close encounters with lightning, Panthers fans flocked to the beach and stayed there, partying the whole way through it as they awaited the team’s arrival for its rally at the giant stage on Fort Lauderdale Beach. 

Same could be said about every corner of A1A during the team’s 2024 Stanley Cup championship parade. Panthers players obliged, spinning beach balls to the crowd as they made their way down the parade route.

”Who gives a (expletive) about the rain?” former Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo asked the crowd.

The crowd immediately erupted after hours of waiting for the Cats to take the stage.

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Summer in South Florida, eh?

Tampa Bay Lightning not forgotten during celebration

Fans came prepared for the occasion. Umbrellas sprouted out of the crowd, patrons plopped ponchos over their bikinis and that was all it took to keep the party going. “Let’s Go Panthers” chants turned into singing, dancing, and raving, and eventually ended at “(Expletive) the Lightning” chants — an ode to their cross-state rivals in Tampa who Florida knocked out in the first round.

“I just walked away from our beer pong table, jumped in the Atlantic Ocean, and I came right back to talk to The Palm Beach Post,” a Panthers fan named Tom said before the event started. “It’s probably the most epic party ever on Fort Lauderdale Beach. You’ve got fans going all the way in the back and it’s not even 9 ‘o clock. This is gonna be crazy, man.”

That it was.

And hey, why not? These fans have been waiting for a long time - 30 years for the first Stanley Cup championship in team history as well as from their time of arrival on Sunday morning.

Some fans were outside as early as 3:30 a.m., camping out with coolers,  beach chairs, tents, water, adult beverages and even a beer pong table. The party started not too long after that as fans continued to arrive — and it never ended.

Just like Tom and his sister, Brittany, who brought the beer pong table and were the life of the party since people started lining up in the early morning.

”Oh my gosh, I get goosebumps every time I go into the arena now because people are showing up,” Brittany said. “I get we’ve been horrible for the past 20 years and the past two we’ve been great. Granted the first (Stanley Cup final) back in 1996, we had our chance. So, going to the arena, seeing the love and support for this team that I’ve loved and adored my whole life. It’s the best feeling. It makes you cry.”

Long time coming for Panthers diehards

For the diehards, this was the moment they’ve been waiting for a long time.

”I’ve been through all of it,” said Mike Rowitz, a fan of the team since its inception in 1993. “We would get $5 or $10 tickets, now you’re paying $700 and $800 all the way through the playoffs. We’ve seen the rise and fall of it. It’s been amazing.”

The players and team personnel acknowledged that fact. They kept their speeches short, laced them with profanity, and had the crowd pumped up the entire way.

Sunday afternoon was a celebration of hockey in Florida, and the Stanley Cup is here to stay for it.

“When I was drafted here 10 years ago, I would’ve never believed this day would come,” team captain Aleksander Barkov said. “Here I am with my teammates, [owner Vinny] Viola, management, everyone. We’re here in front of you all together on a rainy day during hurricane season. We’re here on the beach celebrating us winning the Cup.”