BRADENTON BEACH – Bradenton Beach Marina president Mike Bazzy invites boaters to participate in the inaugural Bradenton Beach Holiday Boat Parade on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Intracoastal Waterway.
“We hope boat owners will participate, and people who aren’t boat owners will at least come down and enjoy the parade. We hope people will stay for the parade after going to Christmas on Bridge Street,” Bazzy said.
The parade route will begin near the Cortez Bridge and head south to Longboat Pass Bridge. The parade will then turn back to the north, pass the historic Bridge Street Pier and end at the Bradenton Beach Marina. The boat parade is expected to take 60 to 90 minutes. Entry is free and the parade is open to powerboats and sailboats.
The parade can be viewed by land from the Cortez Bridge when the parade starts, from the Longboat Pass Bridge when the boats turn around and from the historic Bridge Street Pier that Bazzy says will provide the optimal view of the lighted boats.
“The parade will end at the marina and on the final approach the boats will come right beside the pier before turning into the marina. About halfway down the pier, on the north side, will be the best place to see the boats. They’ll be about 50 feet away from you there,” Bazzy said.
Bazzy said there are two reasons for this year’s boat parade: “There had been a boat parade put on by the Cortez Yacht Club for many years, but they stopped doing it a couple years ago, so we’ve been without a boat parade.”
The old boat parade began at the north end of Longboat Key and ended at the Seafood Shack in Cortez.
“The second thing is it’s been a tough year for those of us who make our living on the water and for all the businesses out here (because of the red tide). It would be nice to get a little exposure and for people to see that boating is still good around here and the water is very pleasant. It’s a good time to come to the Island,” Bazzy said.
The boat parade is being sponsored by the Bradenton Beach Marina and Island Pearl Excursions.
Click for entry forms and more information, or call 941-778-2288.
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