The 2023 St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023 beginning at 6:00 PM. All Treasure Coast and visiting boaters are welcome to ‘light ‘em up’ for this greatly anticipated annual holiday tradition!
The St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade is presented by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Inc. (MIATC) and co-hosted by the Fort Pierce Yacht Club (FPYC) and Paella King. MIATC’s Executive Director Justin Beard is excited to spearhead this year’s event. “We are looking forward to continuing this iconic St. Lucie event and bringing you another year of incredibly decked out vessels,” Beard noted. FPYC Commodore Forest Blanton agreed, “looking forward to a spectacular event.”
This year the St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade is collaborating with LeGit’s Downtown Toy Drive. Parade participants are asked to bring an unwrapped toy to the captain’s meeting on Thursday, December 7th. All others who would like to contribute can drop off an unwrapped toy between today and Friday, December 8th to either Freedom Boat Club (Fort Pierce City Marina, 1 Avenue A, G Dock, Fort Pierce) or FPYC (Fridays between 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, 700 N Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce).
Registration is open and is once again free for all participants and spectators as this is a great family friendly event for all. Boaters looking for registration information should go to www.miatc.com/christmas-boat-parades and check the (newly created) ‘St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade’ Facebook page for all updates.
Boats are divided into three categories (Small, Medium, and Large), with winners in each category receiving prizes based on scores determined by a panel of judges. The judges are well-qualified individuals. All are briefed and understand the challenge of decorating a vessel, and each brings an appreciation for design, imagination, and implementation of your ideas.
This year we will be following a new parade route. It is as follows: Boats will meet at the red Indian River Daybeacon 188 off FP City Marina; head north under the South Bridge; travel East down the channel toward Jetty Park; turn 180 degrees in front of the Square Grouper Tiki Bar; travel Westward back down the Inlet; the parade ends when the last boat reaches the Turning Basin (north of the Fort Pierce South Causeway Bridge). A new route map will be distributed closer to the parade date. Boats are expected to form a line behind a lead patrol boat and operate at no wake speed throughout the duration of the event. Boats must also complete the parade route to be eligible for a prize. (Note: On the day of the parade, the route may change due to weather conditions. The safety of our participants is our priority.)
The best viewing sites for the St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade are at the public beaches and public walkways along Seaway Drive and the restaurants facing the Inlet along Seaway Drive. The parade will begin in front of the Fort Pierce Yacht Club and the FP City Marina in the ICW channel but will be further from shore at this location.
Important Dates
Captain’s Meeting
When: Thursday, December 7, 2023, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Where: Fort Pierce Yacht Club, 700 N Indian River Dr, Fort Pierce
Parade
When: Saturday, December 9, 2023, 6:00 PM
Where: Staging begins at 5:30 PM at the red daybeacon 188 off FP City Marina
** Please note new starting location and new route. **
Thank you to all our sponsors, we couldn’t do it without you! (Sponsor list is as of 10/18/23 in alphabetical order; see FB page for current list of sponsors.)
- Causeway Cove Marina
- Derecktor, Ft. Pierce
- Fin & Foil
- Florida Inland Navigation District
- Fort Pierce City Marina
- Fort Pierce Yacht Club
- Freedom Boat Club
- Paella King
- Sailfish Brewery
- SeaTow
- St. Lucie County
- TowBoat U.S.
- Visit St Lucie Florida
MIATC is offering sponsorship packages for the St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade with the proceeds going toward their workforce readiness initiatives. All sponsorship information can be found on www.miatc.com/christmas-boat-parades. Both MIATC and FPYC are both committed to supporting workforce readiness within the marine industry.
For more information and updates, go to the newly created ‘St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade’ Facebook page or miatc.com/christmas-boat-parades. Don’t forget to LIKE, FOLLOW, PIN the page, and make it a FAVORITE too!
