It’s arguably the most “Chesapeake” holiday tradition we’ve got: lighted boat parade season.
Every year, up and down the Bay, boat owners voluntarily spend dozens of work hours installing elaborate lights displays from bow to stern, mast to waterline.
Then after all that work, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, they happily set out on a freezing cold, sometimes soaking wet, pitch-black cruise. And the spectators who stand outside in these nasty conditions love every minute of of it. ‘Tis the season!
Cheryl Costello takes Bay Bulletin to a handful of the many lighted boat parades on the Bay, with many yet to come. Keep scrolling for our full 2018 list.
Area Lighted Boat Parades
MARYLAND
Annapolis
Dec. 8, Annapolis harbor and Spa Creek,
6–8 p.m. eastportyc.org
Baltimore
Dec. 1, Fells Point to the Inner Harbor,
6 p.m. facebook.com/FellsPointYachtClub/
Middle River
Nov. 22, starts at Riverwatch Marina,
5 p.m. baltimoreboatingcenter.com
Pasadena
Dec. 1, starts at Broken Oar Bar & Grill,
5 p.m. facebook.com/Pasadena-Boat-Parade-192481234643387/
Potomac River
Dec. 1, Tall Timbers Marina, Tall Timbers, Md. talltimbersmarinasomd.com
Solomons
Dec. 8, Patuxent River, Solomons, Md.
6:15 p.m. solomonsmaryland.com
Tilghman
Dec. 8, The Narrows, Tilghman, Md.
Wicomico River
Nov. 25, Downtown Salisbury Riverfront,
6 p.m. wicomicoyachtclub.com
VIRGINIA
Alexandria
Dec. 1, Alexandria Marina, Alexandria, Va.,
5:30 p.m. visitalexandriava.com
Colonial Beach
Dec. 1, Potomac River, Colonial Beach, Va.
6–8:30 p.m. thecyc.com
Hampton River
Dec. 7, Downtown Hampton waterfront.
6–9 p.m. downtownhampton.com
Yorktown
Dec. 1 Yorktown, Va.,
7 p.m.yorkcounty.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Wharf
Dec. 1, The Wharf Marina,
6 p.m. wharfdc.com
