MAKING WAVES
Celebrating Southwest Floridians
Boats decked out and lit up for the holidays will line up in Bimini Basin and delight the 5,000 or so folks who make it a habit to attend this free event every year. The actual parade of boats starts just after sundown on December 15, but the festivities go on before and after the parade.
“There will be about 100 boats in the parade this year,” predicts Kristin Bean, senior recreation specialist for Cape Coral Parks and Recreation.
In addition to watching the decorated boats go by, attendees can view a movie,
Christmas Vacation, which will be shown on a giant inflatable screen at Four Freedoms Park, located next to the basin. The event also features food vendors, a holiday-themed arts and crafts section for kids, a chance to get a picture taken with Santa Claus and a community stage with local singers and dancers performing Christmas-themed numbers.
“You can watch the boats line up in Bimini Basin for the parade, which first passes by Four Freedoms Park’s beach before heading down various canals in South Cape Coral,” adds Bean.
Bleachers are set up in front of the beach at Four Freedoms but offer limited seating, so attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets and binoculars.
Event sponsors include Jason’s Deli, Achieva Credit Union, Rehabilitation and Healthcare of Cape Coral, The Westin Cape Coral, Waste Pro, Brent’s Music, Lightning Wireless Solutions, Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, and Hampton Inn & Suites.
The actual parade of boats starts just after sundown on December 15, but the festivities go on before and after the parade.