By Cali Hlavac
The 37th annual Destin Boat Parade is a time-honored tradition in our little fishing community! Organized and executed by the Destin History and Fishing Museum, this long-standing tradition will kick off at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 10th all along the Destin Harbor.
Commercial and private boats alike can register to enter the lighted boat parade for an entry fee of only $25. The route extends from Boshamps Restaurant to the Destin Bridge, where boats decorated in Christmas lights will make their way back and forth for the community to view.
New for 2023: The judges’ station has moved to Sky Bar at Edge Seafood, on the East end of the Destin Harbor. Three community judges will watch and cast their votes on the best decorated boat for each category, and the public is welcome to join. Upstairs at Sky Bar will be a ticketed event, which includes a complimentary glass of champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres, meet and greet with the parade judges and emcee, live coverage of the event, fireworks show, DJ and more. Upstairs is an adults-only venue, while all ages are welcome on the lower level of Edge Seafood. Tickets can be found on their social media channels, and proceeds will benefit the Destin History & Fishing Museum for its efforts in organizing the parade.
The parade route will be visible from all local businesses along the Harbor, and there are a variety of additional holiday events that day surrounding the parade, including the Mistletoe Market & Photos with Santa at Harborwalk Village and Dock the Halls and Holiday Block Party fundraisers at Boathouse Oyster Bar.
If you’d like to ride IN the boat parade, several local companies sell seats on their boats for the parade time frame. Wear your festive holiday outfit and meet us down on the Harbor, Sunday, December 10!
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