50th Annual Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade

by Andrea Freygang
(Pompano Beach, FL)

Florida’s Oldest Holiday Boat Parade celebrates its 50th Anniversary with new date.

Pompano Beach, FL - Winding through four cities, the oldest holiday boat parade in Florida has a new date and time.

Typically the same weekend as Ft. Lauderdale’s Winterfest Boat Parade, the date has been moved up a week to December 9 at 6 p.m. to allow for a greater opportunity for area families to participate in the celebration this historical milestone.

An annual affair, 2012 not only celebrates 65 years for the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce, but also marks the 50th Anniversary of the Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade, one of the longest continuous running boat parades in the United States.

“This is such an amazing milestone for our community as this boat parade has gathered residents, their families and friends together for decades to celebrate our waterways and the holidays with this memorable event,” said Ric Green, President of Pompano Beach Chamber which is the main organizer of this annual event that has grown to include the surrounding areas.

“With the revitalization in Pompano and Deerfield, it’s critical that we celebrate the things that make northeast Broward County great — and our annual boat parade is one of these things.”

Thousands gather along the Intracoastal Waterway every year to celebrate this annual event that starts in Pompano Beach, runs through Lighthouse Point and Hillsboro Beach before ending at Hillsboro Boulevard Bridge in Deerfield Beach.

This year the star-studded event will start at Lake Santa Barbara at 6 p.m., thirty minutes earlier to encourage more families to come out and participate this year.

Awards will be presented in numerous categories including the best small and large entries from Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pompano.

Each boat entry will receive a gift bag full of surprises from area businesses including a special hand-painted 50th Parade commemorative ornament available only to participating captains.

This ornament, hand painted by local Pompano artist Pat Anderson will be only for those who complete the parade route and presented at the Awards Party that will follow a few days after the parade.

Entrance into the boat parade is FREE and boats large or small are encouraged to enter the parade and help celebrate this milestone for Northeast Broward County.

Email boatparade@pompanobeachchamber.com or call 954-941-2940 with any questions on participation, sponsorship or to RSVP your boat.