RADENTON BEACH – It was a perfect night for a party and the Anna Maria Island Privateers know how to pack people in for a worthy cause.
Last Saturday evening, thousands of people flocked to Bridge Street for the annual Holiday Boat Parade and street party. Bridge Street was closed to traffic and people were free to roam the shops, restaurants and bars, one of which was home to the Privateers’ annual Christmas at the Drift In fundraiser.
This year’s fundraiser featured plenty of food available for a small donation and two big raffle prizes. There was a lotto board with hundreds of dollars’ worth of lottery tickets, won by Jennifer Newburg, and a booze basket won by Tony Markvicka. No Privateers holiday party would be complete without Santa, who enjoyed VIP status on the pirates’ sleigh as he met with kids of all ages in the parking lot of the Bradenton Beach Post Office next to the 42-foot Christmas tree.
Money raised from the event will go to the Drift In AMI scholarship to be awarded in June 2024. The Privateers are still calculating their booty, but said the turnout was one of their best yet.
The Privateers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to assist kids and the community through scholarship programs and other initiatives that help local children.
BRADENTON BEACH – Sparkling lights attracted a holiday crowd to the Bradenton Beach Pier to watch the Fourth Annual Bradenton Beach Holiday Boat Parade on Saturday.
Boat owners were invited to show their holiday spirit by decorating their vessels in the festive parade along the Intracoastal Waterway. In addition to being a lot of fun, cash prizes were up for grabs, and it was obvious to any spectator that a lot of work went into decorating the boats.
The parade had 26 entries with the award for Best Decorated Vessel going to Paradise Boat Tours and the award for Most Enthusiastic Vessel going to Ronald Lorfing on Knotty Times, “Celebrating Florida’s Space Heritage.”
People gather at the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach to watch the 2022 Holiday Boat Parade. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
Bridge Street closed to traffic starting at noon to allow the large crowd plenty of room to walk around and enjoy the shops and restaurants, most of which stayed open late to allow for shopping, dining, a visit with Santa and dancing to the music of several bands at local bars that went on all day and well into the night.
“We’re down here from Michigan for a couple of weeks,” Michelle Holt said. “We’re up there freezing our tails off and shoveling snow. We get down here and you guys are in shorts dancing in the streets. We know this place is great, but everything this Island does is just over-the-top fun!”
The best viewing point for the parade was the Bradenton Beach Pier, which was packed with spectators on the north and south sides. The Anna Maria Oyster Bar had beverages available on the pier, and music from local bars could be heard in the distance. Although alcohol was allowed on the street for this event, Bradenton Beach police said everyone was just having a good time and they hadn’t experienced any serious problems.
The 37-foot tree was the center of the action as holiday revelers gathered on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach for the Holiday Faire and Boat Parade on Saturday. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
If you didn’t make it to the boat parade, don’t worry; there’s plenty of time to enjoy Bridge Street, which currently features the most Christmas lights ever placed on any single street in the history of Anna Maria Island. The almost 40-foot tree (also a record for the Island) and the lights will remain lit through the end of the month, and many shops are staying open late for holiday shopping.
BRADENTON BEACH – The annual Christmas on Bridge Street celebration and Bradenton Beach Holiday Lighted Boat Parade are coming to town on Saturday, Dec. 4.
The fun will happen at various locations along Bridge Street. Beginning at 3 p.m., Christmas on Bridge Street will feature a Kid Zone that includes face painting and creating holiday crafts. Featuring food and drink specials, gift certificate sales, “chair-ity massage” and more, nearby retailers and restaurants will host a holiday walkabout that afternoon and evening.
The Anna Maria Island Privateers will provide photo opportunities with Santa and his sleigh in the Bradenton Beach Post Office parking lot, near the 40-foot-tall Christmas tree purchased by the Bridge Street merchants. The acclaimed Dickens Carolers – a professional company of actors and singers in period costumes – will add to the festivities by telling stories and singing seasonal songs.
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency paid for most of the holiday decorations adorning Bridge Street. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After sunset, event attendees can admire the Bridge Street holiday decorations paid for by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
There will also be a Holiday Swagger photo contest and a grand prize drawing that benefits Turning Points, a local non-profit organization that assists the homeless in Manatee County.
Holiday boat parade
On Saturday evening, the third annual Bradenton Beach Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will begin at 6 p.m., with participating vessels assembling ahead of time near the south end of Jewfish Key.
The boat parade will travel northwest along the Longboat Pass Bridge and then head north up the Intracoastal Waterway, passing by the Bridge Street Pier and ending at the Bradenton Beach Marina. The boat parade can be viewed from the Longboat Pass Bridge from about 6-6:30 p.m. and from the Bridge Street Pier from 6:30-7 p.m. Island troubadour Mike Sales will also be performing on the pier that evening.
The boat parade will take place Saturday evening and pass by the Bridge Street Pier. – Bradenton Beach Marina | Submitted
The boat parade is open to powerboats and sailboats and entry is free. The best-decorated boat will earn a $200 cash prize. Entry forms and additional information can be found at the boat parade website, or by calling the Bradenton Beach Marina at 941-778-2288.
Bradenton Beach Marina owner and boat parade organizer Mike Bazzy said he anticipates a record number of boats participating in this year’s boat parade. Those who don’t have a boat of their own can ride along as passengers aboard the marina’s “Anna Maria Princess” paddle wheeler. Tickets can be purchased at the boat parade website and the proceeds will be donated to fighting children’s cancer.
For more information on the Holidays in Paradise events, activities, contests, parking and more, please visit www.lovebradentonbeach.com or call 941-896-2222.
The Sun is a media sponsor of the Holidays in Paradise events taking place on and around Bridge Street this holiday season.
BRADENTON BEACH – The “Light Up Bradenton Beach” Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will take place Saturday, Nov. 20 in the Bradenton Beach Post Office parking lot.
Organized by participating Bradenton Beach merchants and restaurateurs, Mayor John Chappie and Police Chief John Cosby, the annual tree-lighting ceremony will feature a 32-foot Christmas tree.
The “Light Up Bradenton Beach” festivities will begin that day at 3 p.m. with Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving on Bridge Street aboard their special golf cart. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make their way to the holiday Kid Zone at Island Time Bar & Grill, which will feature face painting and other kid-friendly activities. Santa and Mrs. Claus will then head to the historic clock tower to accept Christmas wish lists and pose for holiday photos.
At dusk, the holiday fun will shift to the post office parking lot at 116 Bridge St., where The Magic of Manatee – the Bradenton chapter of the international women’s choral group, The Sweet Adelines – will lead the crowd in Christmas carols beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m., followed by more singing and then a special outdoor screening of “A Christmas Story” from 7 to 9 p.m., with the exterior wall of the Sports Lounge serving as the movie screen. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for the movie screening.
Popcorn, hot chocolate and other treats – including the adult variety – will be available for purchase at the nearby businesses before, during and after the movie.
Christmas on Bridge Street
The tree-lighting ceremony will mark the beginning of the six-week Holidays in Paradise festivities that will continue through New Year’s Day and take place amidst the city of Bradenton Beach’s largest-ever holiday decoration and lighting display.
The Holidays in Paradise events will continue on Saturday, Dec. 4. – Submitted
The annual Christmas on Bridge Street celebration and the coinciding Bradenton Beach Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will both take place on Saturday, Dec. 4.
Beginning at 3 p.m., Christmas on Bridge Street will again feature a Kid Zone that includes face painting and the creation of holiday crafts. The Anna Maria Island Privateers will provide photo opportunities with Santa and his sleigh in the post office parking lot, near the Christmas tree. The acclaimed Dickens Carolers – a professional company of actors and singers in period costumes – will tell stories and sing seasonal songs.
Island troubadour Mike Sales will perform on the Bridge Street Pier before the boat parade.
Featuring food and drink specials, gift certificate sales, “chair-ity massage” and more, nearby retailers and restaurants will host a holiday walkabout that evening.
There will also be a Holiday Swagger photo contest and a grand prize drawing that benefits Turning Points, a local non-profit organization that assists homeless families in Manatee County.
Holiday Boat Parade
Organized by Bradenton Beach Marina owner Mike Bazzy, the third annual Bradenton Beach Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, taking place Saturday, Dec. 4, will begin at 6 p.m., with participating vessels gathering ahead of time near the south end of Jewfish Key.
The Bradenton Beach Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will take place on Dec. 4. – Submitted
The boat parade will travel northwest along the Longboat Pass Bridge and then head north up the Intracoastal Waterway, passing by the Bridge Street Pier and ending at the marina. The boat parade can be viewed from the Longboat Pass Bridge from about 6-6:30 p.m. and from the Bridge Street Pier from about 6:30-7 p.m.
The boat parade is open to powerboats and sailboats and entry is free. The best-decorated boat will earn a $200 cash prize.
Entry forms and additional information can be found at the boat parade website, www.boat-parade.com, or by calling the Bradenton Beach Marina at 941-778-2288.
Those who don’t have a boat of their own can participate in the boat parade as passengers aboard the marina’s “Anna Maria Princess” paddle wheeler. Tickets can be purchased at the boat parade website and the proceeds will be donated to fighting children’s cancer.
The Sun is a media sponsor of the Holidays in Paradise events.
For more information on the Holidays in Paradise events, activities, contests, parking and more, please visit www.lovebradentonbeach.com or call 941-896-2222.
