It’s nearly the ten-day countdown to the event that marks the official Christmas season on Aquidneck Island: the Newport Illuminated Boat Parade. Organizers from Discover Newport, Sail Newport, the Newport Yacht Club, the Newport City Council, and volunteers are preparing to celebrate the holidays and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the annual parade on November 29, 2024, at 6 p.m.
Spectators of the parade can except to see boats of all types and sizes decorated and lit for the upcoming Christmas season. Fishing vessels, harbor cruise ships, powerboats, and sailboats all make a flashy nautical lineup. Previous years have seen the Newport fireboat join in the festivities, as well as one of Save the Bay’s educational vessels, the Alletta Morris. Although the line-up is different each year – the boats are entered on a volunteer basis – one thing is always certain: Santa’s appearance on the harbor cruise ship Amazing Grace.
The parade – while dazzling and fun on its own – isn’t without stakes. Each year, Discover Newport gives awards to the winning vessel in the following categories: Best Decorated Sailboat (commercial and recreational), Best Decorated Powerboat (commercial and recreational), Best Decorated Fishing Boat (commercial and recreational), and the Tim Mills Spirit Award – named after the former harbormaster – for the crew that best embodies the spirit of community and comradery.
Having the big man in red on board might seem like an easy way to win; how could Santa not melt anyone’s wintry heart? But even the charm and power of Mr. Claus is not always enough to swing a win for the Amazing Grace. “They have some competition, especially with the Coastal Queen,” says Sara Mariani, a representative of Newport Yacht Club and a parade organizer since 2010. Between the two harbor cruise ships, the big man in red faces off against jolly community members who can buy tickets to ride the Coastal Queen during the parade instead of viewing it from the sidelines.
Another tough category to win is recreational powerboats. “They have the most entrees every year,” Mariani explains. “That competition is fierce.” That competition (as well as the entire parade) is judged by a panel selected by Discover Newport, usually consisting of at least one Newport City Council member, members of Newport Yacht Club, and local community members.
For Mariani, the parade is an icon of Aquidneck Island Christmastime. She first got involved with the parade as an intern at the harbormaster’s office in 2008, and continued working there until last summer. Now, she works with the Yacht Club to help organize the nautical tradition. “Over the years, I’ve grown to love it. I love to see how much the city comes alive.” Bars and restaurants along the waterfront also showcase Christmas decorations and lights, and there is something magical and thrilling about being in a jolly crowd, all clamoring for the first glimpses of Christmas, Mariani explains.
“When I was working at the harbormaster’s office, I would get phone calls in July asking about the date of the parade, when it would be happening,” she reminisces. “People wanted to plan dinner dates and make hotel reservations around the parade to ensure they could get the best views.” The community-oriented event is a “huge boost” to waterfront businesses in Newport, especially since it gets people thinking about the season of giving (and shopping). One week later, on December 7th, Mariani expects a similar crowd of festive-minded community members to come out for the Bowen’s Wharf tree lighting.
For the parade, Mariani recommends getting to Newport early. “Around 4 p.m., the waterfront becomes packed as people stake out the best viewing locations,” she explains, listing off Bowen’s Wharf, the Newport Yacht Club, The Lobster Bar, and The Landing as prime locations to see the parade. Attendees should bundle up and bring cocoa for the chill evening by the water, or try to make a dinner reservation to wine, dine, stay warm, and have a view. The Newport Yacht Club will open its main floor to the public as a viewing and warming center during the parade.
The boats will start by the Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard/Goat Island Causeway, then they will proceed to make a full loop of the harbor by passing Newport Yacht Club, Perroti Park, and Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharves. Altogether, the parade loop will last between 30 and 45 minutes. If the weather is good for boating, attendees might be able to expect to see around 25 to 30 boats in the parade. Once the parade ends, the awards will be announced by the panel of judges on the main level of the Newport Yacht Club at 7:30 p.m.
For those unable to attend the parade in person, WADK radio hosts Martha Parker and Bruce Newbury will be announcing the event live over the radio (1540 AM). The tradition of hosting the parade with an announcer started before the pandemic, when Ryan Belmore, owner and publisher of What’sUpNewp, “emceed the event,” says Mariani.
Update: November 29 – Organizers have informed us that Bruce Newbury/WADK will no longer be broadcasting this event.
The parade is free and open to the public to view. Registration to be in the illuminated boat parade ends Thanksgiving Day (November 28th) at noon. Registration can be completed online at Discover Newport’s website.
