Holiday Lighted Boat Parade 2019
11/30/2019 @ 6:00 pm
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Holiday Lighted Boat Parade 2019
11/30/2019 @ 6:00 pm
Following Santa arriving by tugboat and the lighting of the Mystic River Park Christmas tree, spectators flood both sides of the Mystic River to see the decorated and decked out boats pass by.
Decorated vessels parade down the Mystic River at 6:20pm and return to the Mystic River Park, where spectators and judges gather. Boats are judged on creativity and team spirit, and prizes are offered for Most Charismatic Crew, Innovative Vessel, Best Dressed Vessel, and Miss Mystic Vessel of Grandeur.
Before the parade, don’t forget to SHOP SMALL and support local Mystic business.
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There is an event for the 23rd and the 30th….what day is the lighted boat parade this year??
Thank you for your question! The parade, as well as Santa in the park, is on Nov 30th. I believe the event you see posted on Nov 23rd is Santa at the Train Station (Mystic Depot Roasters).
What is the route for the parade, where is the best spot to view? Will the boats be going under the bridge?
The Lighted Boat Parade congregates near Mystic Seaport and proceeds down river under the bridge. The best (and most popular) place to watch is Mystic River Park. The back lawn of Mystic Museum of Art is a nice place to watch too. Enjoy!
Where is parking for this event?
There is no designated parking for this event. Paid parking is available at Mystic Museum of Art and free street parking is available throughout downtown.
My family attended the boat parade last night and, as always, it did not disappoint. From grandparents to grandchildren we took in all the boats and the creativity in decorating. Attending the boat parade has become somewhat of a tradition for our family and is something we look forward to each year now! I do, however, have a suggestion regardingt the tugboat and the constant blowing of the horn. It certainly makes a statement regarding its mighty strength and having it lead the boat parade is perfect except that the constant blowing of the horn drowns out all of the Christmas music and singing from the other boats. It was so loud that we could barely hear the live band playing from one of the boats. And, the children shouting for Santa from the banks of the river certainly their excitement and enthusiasm cannot be heard…for some this is the first time they see Santa “live” for the season!
So, my suggestion is that the tug boat blasts its horn when it emerges from passing through the bridge and then shift to playing Christmas music that adds to the festivities and doesn’t drown out the rest of the boats in the parade. This is not a complaint but rather a reccomendation from someone who has not missed one boat parade since it began!