The Redington Beaches/Indian Shores Holiday Boat Parade Committee has announced that the 2017 edition of the annual Holiday Boat Parade will be held, weather permitting, on Sunday, December 17th, 2017.
Participating boats are requested to rendezvous just north of the Tom Stuart (Madeira Beach) Causeway at approximately 5:45 PM, for the6 PM start of the parade.
The parade is sponsored, jointly, by the towns of Redington Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Shores and Indian Shores. Each town provides initial financial support that is supplemented by private cash donations and prize merchandise donations from local businesses.
This year, the Committee hopes to increase the value of the prizes distributed to the winning boats. This year, the total prize value is expected to exceed $8,000, shared among the almost 30 boats entered.
As in previous years, the boats will cover a route following the Intra-Coastal Waterway from just north of the Tom Stuart Causeway Bridge (Redington Beach) to “Caddy’s Pub” restaurant in Indian Shores. It meanders into the creeks and canals that branch off the ICW, passing along the shoreline of each of the participating communities.
The Captains’ meeting for participating boats will be held at the Town Hall of North Redington Beach, 190 173rd Avenue, North RedingtonBeach, on Thursday, December 14th, at 7 PM. Boat Captains are urged to attend the Captains’ Meeting in order to review route details and to pick up their numbered parade entry boards.
The awards ceremony will take place at “Caddy’s Pub Restaurant,” the major sponsor of the parade, following the arrival of the last boat parade participant. Following the tradition of previous boat parades, Marcus Winters and Barry O’Connor, two of the new owners of “Caddy’s Pub,” have graciously extended an invitation to all participants to dock their boats overnight in the restaurant’s marina. According to Bill De Silva, general manager of the restaurant, “We’re very excited to continue hosting the Redington/Indian Shores Boat Parade for 2017 and many years to come.”
Major prizes, consisting of gifts and cash, are given to the top three boats in each category. The three judging categories are based on the lengths of the participating boats; typically, the categories break at approximately “less than 25 feet,” “25 – 35 feet,” and “over 35 feet.” The Committee tries to put equal numbers of boats in each category.
Entry forms for the parade are available now at the Town Halls and Web sites of the participating towns. Entry forms will also be distributed to local marinas for boaters to pick up. They will also be available at the Parade Captain’s Meeting.
The Boat Parade Committee has also allocated up to $25 per boat for the rental of portable generators to operate the decorative lighting used by the boats. Boat captains should submit a copy of their rental receipt in order to claim reimbursement.
For further information about the Redington Beaches/Indian Shores Boat Parade, call Redington Beach Town Hall, (727) 391-3875.