After a previous cancellation announcement, the Rotary Club of Winter Park announced on Thursday that its annual Holiday Boat Parade will return to Lake Virginia at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. The event was put back on the calendar thanks to sponsorship from the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.
Rotary Club member John Hurlburt told the32789 that sponsorship duties had been handled by club members in the past, but logistical issues and a thinning list of volunteers led to this year’s cancellation. A smaller event was considered but without city permits and assistance from Winter Park Police and Fire departments, it would not have met the standards of past boat parades.
“Ron Hightower, who owns the Boat Tour, has helped us out in the past by providing two boats for the parade and when he got word of the cancellation, he stepped up to take care of the permitting and pay for police and fire presence,” Hurlburt said. “I’m really excited that we get to keep it going because it’s always been a grassroots effort. We’ve never had the level of sponsorship that the Christmas parade or other events have.”
The festive flotilla showcases the creativity of the local boating community with participants decorating their watercraft with all manner of lights, ornaments, and inflatable characters. Sport boats, pontoons, and even paddle boards circle the Lake Virginia shoreline, allowing lakefront residents to watch from their backyards while spectators gather at Dinky Dock Park.
The Scenic Boat Tour is also participating in the Winter Park Old Fashioned Christmas Cruise. The 80-minute tours, managed by Original Orlando Tours, take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays through December and include hot chocolate, Christmas music and caroling, holiday trivia, and a reading of T’was the Night Before Christmas and The Christmas Story. Only a limited number of tickets are available and must be purchased in advance through the Original Orlando Tours event page. Christmas Cruise tickets are not available through the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.
While anyone can watch the Holiday Boat Parade, registration is necessary for those wanting to navigate the route. “We’ve had people just show up to follow along and that’s kind of dangerous because their lights are off, but there are all these boats around them that are lit up like the house in Christmas Vacation,” said Hurlburt. Registration is free, but those wanting to participate should plan on registering within two-to-three days before the parade.
To register a boat in the Winter Park Holiday Boat Parade, go to winterparkboatparade.com. For more information, please call 407-256-6369.