March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Here’s the scoop on the EYC Lights Parade for 2016

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EYC-LP2013-poster-art_Ramon_Mathua-onlineThe Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, one of Annapolis’ signature events for more than 30 years, is just around the corner!

The parade bursts upon the Annapolis waterfront with up to 40 boats of all shapes and sizes, power and sail, brightly decorated with thousands of lights and crewed by jolly revelers. This festive maritime event is great fun for the entire family. Skippers participate for the fun of it, and circle the waterfront in two fleets: one circling in front of Eastport, the City Dock and the Naval Academy seawall, the other circling the length of Spa Creek, inside the bridge.

This year, the Lights Parade will be held on Saturday, December 10, between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 PM.  The event will occur rain or shine, with only high winds forcing a cancellation.

Lights Parade participants can compete for prizes and recognition either individually, or as a representative of their club. The parade is an excellent opportunity to show off a boat or to showcase a club.  Anyone may enter and Eastport Yacht Club provides safety briefings as well as decorating tips.

More than 50 volunteers work all year long to produce this event, a gift to the city of Annapolis from the Eastport Yacht Club.  Twenty to thirty thousand people line the waterfront each year to watch this glittering holiday parade. In 1988, the event was proclaimed the official Maryland Winter Celebration!

The Lights Parade Livestream event is back and running for 2016. The Lights parade will be broadcast LIVE on December 10 (www.livestream.com).  Roku TV devices will be able to livestream the event on many TVs. Livestream may be accessed on any mobile device and there is a link to Livestream on the Eastport Yacht Club web site, www.eastportyc.com. For further details, you can check out EYC Lights Parade on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EastportYachtClubLightsParade.

           People can take home memories of the Lights Parade by purchasing posters, tee shirts , hats and cards. These will be available through the Eastport Yacht Club, and several downtown locations. This year, students from around Anne Arundel County were invited to submit artwork for the EYC Lights Parade Poster Contest. Sixty-six pieces of art work were submitted from elementary, middle and senior high schools. Judges have selected winners from various school categories, plus there will be a “Peoples Choice” award selected on the Lights Parade Facebook.  Winning artwork will be announced and unveiled on November 13th.

Skippers may register their boats until December 7th for this joyful holiday event. Entry forms are available online at www.eastportyc.org. Follow the “lights parade” tab under “our events”. For more information about boat registration, contact Teeja Meier at [[email protected]].

For more information about the Lights Parade including parade maps, parking information, and viewing sites, visit the Eastport Yacht Club website at: www.eastportyc.org.

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