March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

EYC: Lighting up the Annapolis Holiday season for 35 years

The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, one of Annapolis’ signature events and the USA Today #1 Holiday Parade, 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 EYC Lights Parade will be held on Saturday, December 9, between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 PM.  The event will occur rain or shine, with only high winds forcing a cancellation. Parade information may be found at http://eastportyc.org/lights, or by phone at 844-463-6392.

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. The name of the club is entered on the parade registration form, and the boat will be judged BOTH individually and as a “club entry”. Anyone may enter and Eastport Yacht Club provides safety briefings as well as a decorating seminar.

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 2016, the EYC Lights Parade received national attention, ranking  #1 in a USA Today poll of “10 Best Holiday Parades”. CBS TV highlighted segments of past Lights Parades on the CBS “This Morning Saturday” show.

Viewers can take home memories of the Lights Parade by purchasing posters, cards and other items which will commemorate the holiday spirit shown through the EYC Lights Parade. These will be available through the Eastport Yacht Club and several downtown locations.

Skippers should be planning to register their boat for this joyful holiday event. Entry forms are available online at http://eastportyc.org/lights.  For further registration information or assistance, email:  [email protected].

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