The City of Newport’s annual Newport Illuminated Boat Parade has been canceled.

Just after 9:30 am this morning, the City of Newport announced on social media, “We’re sorry to report that due to expected gale-force winds, tonight’s Illuminated Boat Parade has been canceled”.

The National Weather Service has issued a Gale Warning, it remains in effect from 4 pm on Friday evening until 1 pm on Saturday.

Sail Newport issued the following statement just after 10 am on Friday, “Due to the forecast from the National Weather Service for marine conditions, tonightʻs Newport Illuminated Boat Parade has been canceled by the Newport Harbormasterʻs Office. The next parade is planned for November of 2022”.

The parade was scheduled to begin at 6 pm on Friday evening.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...