Back by popular demand is Stone Harbor’s Festival of Lights! Last year’s parade of boats along the Bayfront was a great success, with many dozens of boats and Bayfront homes featuring lights, decorations, or both. The event will return again this year on Saturday, August 15th. This event is open to the public and pre-registration at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor is recommended. Don’t have a boat or a Bayfront home? You can watch the parade from the 83rd Street pier, or from the municipal marina at 81st Street & the bay.
Festival of Lights is a traditional highlight of the summer season in Stone Harbor — with thousands of spectators lining the Bayfront and thousands more attending private parties at homes along the route. The General Manager of the YCSH, Peter Miner expresses, “The Yacht Club of Stone Harbor is very excited and looking forward to our annual Festival of Lights boat parade! Last year’s Centennial celebration and perfect weather was the best possible way to bring back this long standing tradition in Stone Harbor. We are happy to be the host of the event, we again look forward to the perfect weather Stone Harbor always has and another great turnout of decorated homes and boats. See you at the club!”
This year’s decorating theme for boats and docks is ‘Favorite Movie.’ The Boat Parade leaves from the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor and travels through the Great Channel and into the basins along the bay. Boats will be queuing up at 7:30pm at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor. Prizes are being given out for Best Dock, Best Boat, and Best Costume! Awards will be presented at 7pm, Tuesday, August 18th at the Seabillys Concert, which is part of Stone Harbor’s Tuesdays at the Tower concert series. There will be a Captains meeting Friday, August 14th at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor. After party for the Festival of Lights, immediately following at the Yacht Club.