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Florida Holiday Boat Parades Ring In the Season

    Posted December 7, 2009

    Looking for something fun for the family to do this festive time of year? Attend one of Florida's many holiday boat parades.

    The Sarasota - Bradenton - Venice Florida area, for example, offers many family-fun events during the holiday season. One of them is the Bradenton Yacht Club Holiday Boat Parade. Come see, or, if you have a boat, take part in the Annual Bradenton Yacht Club Holiday Boat parade. Sarasota and Venice also host spectacular boat parades this time of year.

    The annual Bradenton Yacht Club Holiday Boat Parade occurs on the Manatee River. There is no entry fee and participation is open to all. To get involved with your own boat, you just need to attend the mandatory captain's meeting on the previous Monday and then decorate your boat and show up on December 12th.

    The chairperson for this year's event spoke of the many awards available. For those entering for the first time and hoping to win one of the awards, she noted that there are, of course, the typical judging categories for things like boat size, best corporate entry and best theme boat. But, she also mentioned that there are usually also "surprise awards" that may be given for things like the liveliest crew or other attributes that strike the judges fancy at the time.

    There will be several locations for spectator viewing at the yacht club as well as along the river. The parade will end at the Bradenton Yacht Club where the decorated boats will be on display for judging and participating boat captains and their crews will enjoy a VIP celebration among all the hoopla and family-fun activities including music by Backyard Bone and a visit by Santa.

    The Sarasota Christmas Boat Parade of Lights, now in its 23rd year, will be held on December 12, 2008 at 6:00PM on Sarasota Bay. The best areas for viewing this one, according to Andree Huffine, a Sarasota waterfront condos specialist, are Bayfront Park, City Island and Centennial Park. Boat entries are judged in 6 categories with trophies awarded at a ceremony at Marina Jack following the parade.

    The Venice Boat Parade of Lights, held this year on December 5th, has been held every year since 1989 with the decorated boats becoming more spectacular every year.

    Holiday boat parades, like so many other events that occur during all seasons of the year, are examples of why the Florida Sun Coast is such a wonderful place to live. Other delightful events this time of year include the Selby Gardens "Lights in Bloom," a spectacular display of colorful lights and a wide range of entertainment, the annual Pineapple Drop at Midnight on New Years’ Eve in downtown Sarasota, The PAL Sailor's Circus and the Siesta Key Beach Snowbirds Fine Arts & Crafts and St. Armands Winter Art festivals in early January.