The calendar may say July, but for participants and spectators of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples next weekend, the holiday season arrives early this year.
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| The 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples will be held on Saturday evening July 19 at the Naples Causeway. Boats in the parade will be decorated with Christmas lights and line up on Long Lake and proceed down the west shore toward the causeway and continue down the east shore of Brandy Pond. COURTESY PHOTO |
Some children on the causeway will spot Santa and his helpers handing out foam glow sticks to wave in the boats and donations will be accepted for the glow sticks for the Raise the Roof fund to benefit the Cross Walk Community Outreach program.
One of the organizers of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade is Joanne Jordan and she said that some of the event sponsors will be collecting donations for Naples Christmas4Kids where the Community Resource Council of Naples provides each child with pajamas, socks, underwear, a new toy and a holiday meal for the family.
“Donation jars can be located at Gary's Olde Towne Tavern, Beacon Bar & Bistro, Sun Sports +, and Captain Jack's,” Jordan said. “Boats can register for free to be eligible for great prizes.”
Created during the pandemic by the Naples Marine Safety Association, the boat parade has taken on a life of its own. In its first year in 2020 a total of 65 boats participated, and the parade has grown every year since.
“This event is unique for this area. There are other boat parades around the country, but the Naples Causeway provides a unique opportunity for this to happen in fresh water with a beautiful viewing area that allows the boats to get up close to the crowds when going under the causeway or visiting one of the waterfront businesses,” Jordan said. “The event is free for boaters to participate and free to watch. It creates a feeling of joy for both groups. We have been lucky to have talented music producers create a fun atmosphere for the crowd while waiting for the boats to arrive and when the boats reach the crowd, everyone is excited, and everyone feels like a kid at Christmas.”
Jordan said that buzz is already building in the community about the event.
“Many of our marina sponsors compete for the best decorated marina boat and some of the local shops and restaurants have started decorating their businesses with lights and trees and blow-up characters,” she said. “Safety is key for this event so much of the committee's time is spent on route and boater safety.”
Staging a parade on the water always presents new and interesting challenges.
“Standard parades are able to close the streets and keep spectators in a safe viewing area,” she said. “We cannot close the waterway and the people who watch from their boats can create a challenge. We have not had any serious issues and have designated people along the route communicating with boat spectators.”
Community feedback about the parade remains positive and enthusiastic.
“After the parade some of the local kids will come up to me and tell me about their favorite boats,” Jordan said. “Ice cream shops will tell me they had lines down the causeway while waiting for the parade. Restaurant owners on the waterfront say their patrons enjoy having prime seating for the parade while we have one restaurant sponsor not on the water who has sponsored every year just to support the community.”
She said the Christmas in July Boat Parade welcomes everyone of all ages to the fun family event, which is sponsored by the Naples Events Committee.
“In some way we hope you can participate, whether it be from the Causeway, shoreline on the parade route, or even participating in the parade on a boat we certainly hope to see you there,” Jordan said.
For more details about the parade, call 207-671-2368. <
