Boca Ciega Yacht Club’s 36th Annual Lighted Christmas Boat Parade

The Boca Ciega Yacht Club (BCYC), a not-for-profit organization, is announcing the 36th year of its Lighted Christmas Boat Parade which will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2020 beginning at 6:00 pm. BCYC conducts the boat parade to generate donations and other support for the Gulfport Police Department’s ‘Operation Santa’ charity which provides gifts to children whose Christmas’s would otherwise be less joyous without the generous support of the Gulfport community. This year will mark BCYC’s 21st year of proudly supporting this wonderful program.

The Annual Lighted Christmas Boat Parade is an all-volunteer event organized by the members of BCYC and their invited guests and is an event happily shared with the residents of Gulfport, South Pasadena, and St. Petersburg. Members spend many hours planning and decorating their boats for maximum enjoyment. We are again asking local businesses to help support our boat captains by donating gift certificates to be used as boat prizes. We’re proud of the fact that our boat captains all receive a prize for their hard work and bragging rights for their decorations. Last year’s winner, Lee Nell’s boat and crew MeeShee won for their “Buh-Bye 2020!” theme.

Please note that the parade route has changed again this year to accommodate the home ports of more of the parade participants. The parade will begin by entering the Gulfport Municipal Marina at approximately 6:00 pm. It will then travel past the William’s Pier & Casino in Gulfport, past the beaches and into the canals of Town Shores, Pelican Bay, Skimmer’s Point, Bayview Circle, past a portion of Kipps Colony and near PYCC, then along Dolphin Blvd to the Pasadena Golf Club Estates before swinging across the bay to Isla del Sol before returning to our slips.

There is an entry fee for each boat of two unwrapped toys or a monetary donation (checks must be made out to “Operation Santa”). Both sail and power boats are welcome to join in the fun and this event is open to both members and non-members. Registration is available online at http://www.sailbcyc.org/ChristmasBoatParade.

The BCYC family wishes you and your family a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!