New York City may have its Macy’s Thanksgiving parade but here in Tampa Bay, we have a tradition of our own, the Tampa Bay Holiday Boat Parades.
These holiday boat parades feature boats of all sizes and shapes, adorned with festive lights, inflatable holiday characters and just as often, partiers aboard dressed as Santa and his elves or other holiday personalities. Some boats even feature live bands.
The parades are generally competitions, with judges determining awards in a variety of categories. After the parades, party-goers gather in local watering holes or go shopping for holiday presents in Tampa’s retail districts. Boat parades have become major Tampa Bay holiday events.
The city of Tampa holds two holiday boat parades this year, one held at the Davis Island Yacht Club parade on Dec. 13 and another, the Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, coming up on December 18th beginning at 6:30PM . Festively decorated boats will illuminate the sky and spread holiday cheer throughout the Channel District.
The Rough Riders will be accepting Teddy Bear donations during the parade and theirs will clearly be the boat to beat as they light up one of their best floats in honor of this holiday tradition.
Both Tampa holiday boat parades sail from the tip of Davis Island, through Sparkman Channel before turning west at Garrison Channel toward Channelside,
For those in the more southern part of Hillsborough County, Apollo Beach also holds a holiday boat parade that is generally well-attended and lots of fun.
Holiday boat parades, like so many other events that occur during all seasons of the year, are examples of why the Tampa Bay Florida is such a wonderful place for you and your family to live.
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