BRADENTON BEACH – A fleet of delightfully lit and decorated boats will pass along the Bradenton Beach shoreline during the second annual Bradenton Beach Holiday Boat Parade.
Setting sail on Saturday, Dec. 14, the Holiday Boat Parade is hosted and organized by Bradenton Beach Marina and its president, Mike Bazzy.
The parade will begin at 7 p.m. near the south end of Jewfish Key, travel past the Longboat Pass Bridge, head north through the Intracoastal Waterway and pass by the Bridge Street Pier before ending at the Bradenton Beach Marina. The boat parade is expected to last 60 to 90 minutes.
Boat owners are invited and encouraged to display their holiday spirit by entering their decorated vessels. Entry is free and open to powerboats and sailboats. Cash prizes will be awarded in multiple categories, including the category for best lighting and the category for most holiday spirit.
Entry forms can be downloaded from the boat parade website, www.boat-parade.com.
The Holiday Boat Parade coincides with the Christmas on Bridge Street holiday event taking place on Bridge Street that afternoon and evening.
The parade can best be viewed from the Bridge Street Pier from 7:30-8 p.m., or before then from the Longboat Pass Bridge as the parade gets started.
Those without a boat can catch a ride aboard the Bradenton Beach Marina’s old-fashioned paddlewheeler, the Anna Maria Princess. Space is limited, so please call 941-778-2288 to reserve your spot.
The Holiday Boat Parade is sponsored by the Bradenton Beach Marina, the city of Bradenton Beach, the Bridge Street Bazaar, the Bridge Tender Inn, the BridgeWalk Resort, Paradise Boat Tours, Yolo Parasail and The Anna Maria Island Sun.
For more information, visit the boat parade website, call John or Mike at 941-778-2288 or email dockmaster@bradentonbeachmarina.com.
