Holiday Boat Parades!

[Amgine]

All over the place boat parades are organizing. These are definitely events for cruisers to attend if not participate in - lots of holiday cheer and fun!

Some of these events are quite huge, with audiences expected near 100 000, while others are casual events organized over a few drinks at the club the night before. But, if you want to get your boat gussied up and in the line, you may want to find out who is organizing what and how to be in it.

Here are a few I've been able to locate information about. Sorry they're all in the USA: if you have information about a local event please post! (For some reason Florida articles only post 7-digit phone numbers; the country code is +1, but the area/city code you'll need to look up yourself.)

• Bonita Springs, Florida's Holiday Boat Parade, hosted by the Rotary Club, will be held Dec. 6. Information at lifebonitasprings.com or call 495-0455.
  
• Clearwater, Florida's 34th Memorial Holiday Boat Parade will be held Dec. 13th. Information contact Island Estates Yacht Club Vice-Commodore Fran Briskman at 461-1147 or Joelbrisk@yahoo.com.
• Dana Point, California's theme for their 34th Boat Parade of Lights is "Santa's Sealife", and will run Dec. 5, 7, 12, and 13. Information at www.danapointharbor.com.
• Laughlin, Nevada is organizing its first Holiday Boat Parade of Lights for November 29th, a partnership between Laughlin Tourism Committee and River Passage Water Taxis. Information call Laughlin Tourism Committee at +1 (702) 298-0630 or Westley at +1 (928) 754-3555.
• Los Angeles Harbor is inviting boaters in the Wilmington/San Pedro region to join the 46th annual Holiday Afloat Parade. This year's theme is "Cruisin' Into the Holidays" and will be held Dec. 6th. More information - call Donna Ethington @ +1 (310) 549-8111
  
• Marina del Rey, California's Holiday Boat Parade will take place the evening of Dec. 13th, with the theme "Santa Claus is coming to Town". Information at www.mdrboatparade.org.
  
• Newport California's 100th annual Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade happens nightly December 17-21 off Bay Island. This year's theme is "100 Years of Christmas Cheers." Information at www.christmasboatparade.com.
• Patchogue, New York Holiday Boat Parade on Nov. 23 will have a theme of "The World United", which has a sad edge to it because last year a fireworks company donated $5 000 worth of fireworks if they would change the even name to "Christmas Boat Parade", but refused to sponsor this year's event because they chose the more inclusive "Holiday Boat Parade" because citizens last year felt excluded. Information at www.patchoguefoundation.com.
• The Port of San Diego's 37th annual San Diego Port of Lights. This year's theme is "Rock and Roll around the Bay" and will run Dec 14th and 21. Information at www.sdparadeoflights.org.
• Winter Haven, Florida's Boat Parade through the "chain of lakes" will be Dec. 6th. Information contact the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce at 293-2138.
  
• Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina hosts the NC Holiday Flotilla Nov 28 and 29. Information at www.ncholidayflotilla.org.
  

Examiner.com
The Log.com
MohaveDailyNews.com
StarNewsOnline.com
Tampa Bay Newspapers Online

Places with boat parades but no information about particpating available:

• Canyon Lake, California, USA on Dec. 13
  
• Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA on Nov. 28
• Marco Island, Florida, USA on Dec. 20
  

The Chattanoogan.com
The Friday Flyer.com
Marcos Island Florida.com

[amytom]

There's one for Cocoa Beach as well. Unfortunately my mast is too tall to participate.

[Daddy's Dream]

18 yrs ago when I was in Portland Oregon, they had a parade of lights a few weeks before Christmas.

Anyone in that area that knows if they still have it and when?

[David M]

There is one each year at Jack London Square in Oakland.

http://www.lightedyachtparade.com/

[Colorado Dreamer]

Thank you for posting. We are excited about being in our first Parade of Lights this year, in San Diego!

[Daddy's Dream]

Here is the link for the Christmas Ship Parade of Lights on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers around Portland, Oregon. This is the 54th year for the parade.

Christmas Ship Parade, Portland, Oregon

[GordMay]

Ft. Lauderdale:
The Winterfest Boat Parade will be December 13 starting at 6:30 p.m.

Seminole Hard Rock-Winterfest Boat Parade - The World's Most Watch Boat Parade!

The 37th Annual Boat Parade begins in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, starting on the New River and travels east to the Intracoastal Waterway as it continues North to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach.
Parade’s theme “Rockin’ the Night Aweigh” will be highlighted on 100 boats expected to be viewed by over one million spectators.
Parade highlights: the Glateau vitaminwater Grand Marshal Showboat (Grand Floridian), Led Zeppelin Patron Showboat, Florida Panther’s Ice Skating Rink, Perrier Showboat and Starmark Showboat See celebrities, musical groups, beauty queens and many other exciting entries!

Recommended Anchoring Areas:

EarthNC - Nautical Data for a Digital World » Blog Archive » Preview the 2008 Seminole Hard Rock - Winterfest Boat Parade

* New River Cut - South of the turn at Bahia Mar.
* Northeast side of the Las Olas Bridge.
* Southwest side of Sunrise Bridge.
* Western portion of Lake Santa Barbara - this is where the parade turns around.

[wolfenzee]

here is a link to a whole lot of this sort of thing
The Mother of All Maritime Links: Page 19 of 47
also lots of other info can be found at
The Mother of All Maritime Links: Contents