Floating Festivities

Floating Festivities

Holiday boat parades light up the night

Published: November 28, 2022

Living in sunny South Florida, our activities naturally extend beyond land and into the waterways all year long. There aren’t many other places where you can sit outside wearing flip-flops — in December — to watch a procession of ornate boats pass by. Take advantage of the opportunity by heading to one, or all, of these local boat parades. 

Palm Beach County

Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade – Kick off the holiday season with this floating procession led by a Zambelli traveling fireworks display. The parade heads from North Palm Beach up the Intracoastal Waterway to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, December 3, and boats are expected to arrive in Jupiter around 8 p.m. For information, go to http://www.marinepbc.org/boat-parade.

Holiday Boat Parade – A little further south, you can see festively decorated boats travel along the waterway on Friday, December 9. The parade travels south from the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Lantana to the C-15 Canal in Delray Beach starting at 6:30 p.m. The Boynton Harbor Marina serves as the official watch location for the parade with music, children’s activities and a special visit from Santa. For more information, visit http://www.boyntonbeachcra.com.

Broward County

Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade — Whether you are watching or participating, this is a beautiful sight on the Intracoastal Waterway. The parade starts at Lake Santa Barbara and heads north to Hillsboro Boulevard from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 9. For more information, see http://www.pompanobeachchamber.com

Winterfest Boat Parade — Dubbed “The Best Show on H2O,” this procession delivers a delightful display of private boats to corporate mega-yachts. The event takes place on Saturday, December 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Spectators line up along Fort Lauderdale’s waterways to watch the annual spectacle that travels from downtown Fort Lauderdale to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. A fee-based parade viewing area with live entertainment and activities is another option at Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park. For more information, visit http://www.winterfestparade.com.

Monroe County

Key Largo Boat Parade — Check out the decked-out vessels as participants compete for prizes for most colorful display, most original and best use of theme categories on Saturday, December 10. This year, the parade theme is A Cartoon Christmas. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Dusenbury Creek, green channel marker 41, on Blackwater Sound and heads north along the shoreline to Stillwright Point. For more information, visit http://www.keylargoboatparade.com.

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