With the Fourth of July falling on Saturday this year, Brevard County is preparing for one of its busiest beach weekends of the summer. Tourism officials expect heavy crowds from Cape Canaveral down through Cocoa Beach, Indialantic and Melbourne Beach, and local governments are lining up fireworks displays, parades and safety patrols to match.

Several cities will stage fireworks over the water Friday and Saturday evenings, with the largest shows planned along the Cocoa Beach Pier and the Melbourne causeway. Organizers recommend arriving well before dusk, as parking near the beaches routinely fills by mid-afternoon on the holiday.

County officials are reminding residents that lifeguards will be on extended hours through the weekend, and that the usual holiday rules apply: no fireworks on the sand, no glass containers, and pack out whatever you bring in. Sheriff's deputies and marine units say they will be out in force on both the beaches and the Indian River Lagoon.

Forecasters are calling for a typical Florida summer pattern over the weekend, with sunny mornings giving way to scattered afternoon storms. Beachgoers are urged to keep an eye on the sky and clear the water at the first sign of lightning.