The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, one of Annapolis’ signature events for more than 30 years, is just around the corner! For the third year, our hometown parade has been nominated as one of the USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice Holiday Parades in America! In 2016, the parade was named the #1 Best Holiday Parade in America!
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 8, between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 PM. The event will occur rain or shine, with only high winds forcing a cancellation. Twenty to thirty thousand people line the waterfront each year to watch this glittering holiday parade. It’s fun for the entire family with entries such as Santa Claus, Polar Bear Express, and The Abominable Snowman.
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.
The Lights Parade Livestream event is back and running for 2018. The Lights parade will be broadcast LIVE on December 8 . Livestream may be accessed on any mobile device and there will be a link to Livestream on the Eastport Yacht Club web site, www.eastportyc.org/lights-parade.
People can take home memories of the Lights Parade by purchasing posters, tee shirts, and cards. These will be available through the Eastport Yacht Club, and several downtown locations. Original artwork is displayed on these items. This year’s poster was designed by Cindy Fletcher Holden from Fletcher Art.
Skippers may register their boats until December 5 for this joyful holiday event. Entry forms are available online at www.eastportyc.org/lights-parade. For more information about boat registration, contact: [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/lights-parade.
