WATCH: The 2021 edition of the annual Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade will set sail Saturday, Dec. 18 and dozens of beautifully decorated nautical vessels will bring Christmas cheer to all those along the canals of the Island.
The 2021 edition of the annual Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade will set sail Saturday, Dec. 18 and dozens of beautifully decorated nautical vessels will bring Christmas cheer to all those along the canals of the Island.
BREVARD COUNTY • MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA – The 2021 edition of the annual Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade will set sail Saturday, Dec. 18 and dozens of beautifully decorated nautical vessels will bring Christmas cheer to all those along the canals of the Island.
The Captain’s Party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sunset Waterfront Cafe & Bar, located at 500 Cocoa Beach Causeway West in Cocoa Beach.
The Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade will start at the Sykes Creek Causeway Bridge and continue north through Sykes Creek and end by the Searay Drive Bridge and Barge Canal.
This year’s parade theme is “The Grinch,” and boats will begin to arrive around 6 p.m.
The best viewing areas for this year’s event include the Ulamay cut-off wooden bridge, Sykes Creek Parkway Bridge on both sides, and Watts Park.
Event organizers said they believe this year’s parade turnout will be among the largest in the history of the Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade – don’t miss out on the fun!
MERRITT ISLAND HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE FAQ:
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁’𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼𝙴?
The Grinch!
𝚆𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙳𝙴?
Sykes Creek on Merritt Island! Looking at the map provided in this post, the parade will be starting at the Sykes Creek Parkway bridge, going up the canals heading north and ending at Sea Ray Drive.
𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥, you 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 follow the 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 route and pass by all 𝟑 judge locations!!
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝙳𝙾𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙳𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃?
The parade is Saturday, December 18th starting at 6PM. Boats will be arriving around 4:30-5PM. 𝙒𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙥 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙮!
If you do plan on competing in the judged competition, you 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 register at the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣’𝙨 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝘿𝙚𝙘 𝟏𝟔𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝘽𝙖𝙧 & 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝟔𝙋𝙈 𝙩𝙤 𝟗𝙋𝙈. There, you will be issued a boat number that 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 be visibly displayed on your boat at all times.
𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴: You 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 follow the 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 route and pass by all 𝟑 judge locations!!
The closest ramp is at Kiwanis Island at the beginning of the parade route. There’s also the ramps at Kelly Park East on the Banana River and the boat ramp at Cape Crossings on the barge canal. Though we don’t know if it is a private or open to the public launch point or what the parking situation is like there.
𝚆𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙳𝙾 𝙸 𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙰 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃?
Shirts will be available at the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣’𝙨 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝘿𝙚𝙘 𝟏𝟔𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝘽𝙖𝙧 & 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝟔𝙋𝙈 𝙩𝙤 𝟗𝙋𝙈.
𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝙸 𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙼𝚈 𝙳𝙾𝙶?
That is completely up to you, but you are responsible for the safety of your pet and others.
We recommend anywhere east of the channel and out of the parade route. Please have a working anchor light so people will see you.
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝙵 𝙸 𝙱𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙺 𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽?
Don’t worry! Our friends at TowBoatUS Port Canaveral will be on hand to assist.
𝙸𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙰 𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚃𝙴 𝙼𝙰𝙿?
See the map above.
WATCH: The 2020 edition of the annual Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade set sail and the dozens of beautifully decorated nautical vessels brought Christmas cheer to all those along the canals of the Island.