eastport yacht club lights parade

Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade

Stay tuned, the eastport yacht club's lights parade to celebrate its 42nd year in 2024.

The magical Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade takes place along the Annapolis Harbor and Spa Creek on the second Saturday in December every year. This annual tradition has been delighting holiday revelers for 40 years!

It all began in the 1980s when  Eastport Yacht Club  (EYC) started. Back then, the club was based in a fourth-floor room with a tiny bar in a complex in what is now  Annapolis City Marina . Some of the earliest members lived on boats in that marina and used the club as their living room, especially after the weather got cooler. Feeling the spirit (pun intended) one December night, a few took to their boats and tooled around the harbor, singing Christmas carols.  1

Because it was so much fun, the EYC members decided to build upon the parade by adding lights to decorate their boats, making it an annual tradition. Although several tour operators sell packages during the lights parade, where you can watch the event on the water, the event is free. (Click here for more tours.) Now, it is an officially sanctioned and sponsored event on the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County holiday calendar.

Where to Watch

Book a cruise, join a friend's boat or watch from the Annapolis city front or Spa Creek Bridge. More great viewing spots are at the end of any street in downtown Annapolis that ends at the water. Pocket parks in Eastport and Murray Hill are also great vantage points for sipping some cocoa and watching the boat parade sail by.

To learn more about the parade's history, read this great blog on Annapolis Discovered .

1  Quote taken from the blog:  Behind the Mask: Tom Stalder & the History of the EYC Lights Parade

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Insider's Guide: Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade

December 5, 2023

Ryan Sneddon

Like many things in Annapolis, our best holiday tradition involves the water. It’s the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade and here’s exactly what you need to know to enjoy it.

First Things First: The Basics

The 2023 Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade is December 9 from 6–8 PM. All of the action either happens in the harbor or down Spa Creek & Ego Alley.

Where can I watch?

Any of the pins on the map above are good options. Most of the street end parks are quite small so stake out your spot early.

Best viewing points

Spa creek bridge.

This is the best vantage point but fully exposed to the wind so it can be mighty cold. But you can see both fleets and get a close up when they switch places.

This is as close as you can get to the boats without being on one. Get here early if you want to see every little detail of how the displays are constructed.

Get a great view of all the boats as they circle around the harbor. You can get a higher vantage point if you join the We Care and Friends fundraiser on Watermark’s Harbor Queen. In lieu of tickets, bring a monetary donation, toy, blanket, clothing, or non-perishable food item to get in.

Other viewing options

If you have friends with homes or offices on the water, time to get them an early Christmas present and hope for an invite.

The Choptank is also a great option but space is limited and last year there was a private party on the entire second floor.

Where do I park?

The official parking garage of the parade is the garage at Park Place – 100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 . The free circulator shuttle will run downtown.

Other options include:

• Hillman Garage . Cost: not free. Likelihood of spot: low
• Gotts Court Garage . Cost: not free. Likelihood of spot: medium
• Calvert Street Garage . Cost: free on weekends. Likelihood of spot: high
• Knighton Garage . Cost: not free. Likelihood of spot: medium
• Street parking . Cost: not free. Likelihood of spot: low

Remember that you get 1 hour free in the Hillman Garage and two hours in meter spots by using the code ParkDTA on the ParkMobile app until New Year’s Day.

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Old town crier

The eastport yacht club lights parade celebrates 40 years.

By Cheryl Lecourt

The 40 th  Anniversary of Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade presented by the Long & Foster Real Estate Eastport Office is an event you won’t want to miss. On Saturday December 10th, Annapolis will be celebrating a momentous anniversary of one of its signature events, the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade. This much imitated statewide award winning event draws people from all over the region to Annapolis city dock, waterfront area restaurants, watering holes, hotels, homes, offices and Eastport’s street end parks.

The event kicks off at 6 pm in Annapolis Harbor, and runs until 8pm. Anywhere from 40 to 50 uniquely lighted yachts will suddenly appear out of the dark, and parade up Spa Creek and Ego Alley providing a dazzling visual holiday light experience.

Music, singing, and visual surprises are part of the event. The air is electric, and you will want to be part of the excitement. Come early in the afternoon and wander around City Dock and see many of the yachts in the process of decorating for the evening parade. Two fleets participate and switch places mid-event: one circling in front of Eastport Yacht Club, City Dock and the Naval Academy Seawall, the other circles the length of Spa Creek, inside the bridge.

Serving as Diamond title sponsor for the Lights Parade for the third year in a row is the Long & Foster Real Estate Eastport Office. A choice viewing spot is on the bridge near their office.

Parking and shuttle buses will be provided from the Naval Academy Stadium on Rowe Boulevard and West Street garages. To get up to date information on parking, shuttle buses, viewing spots and more check out the  www.eastportyc.or/lights-parade  and the city website  www.Annapolis.gov

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Seasonal & Holidays

Where to view, park for eastport yacht club lights parade, route, parade parking info for the dec. 10 eastport yacht club lights parade, one of the best holiday parades in the u.s..

Deb Belt , Patch Staff

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis celebrates the arrival of Santa Claus by boat this Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade , a nominee for the title of USA Today's Best Holiday Parade.

Every year on the second Saturday in December, Annapolis Harbor is filled with boats illuminated with thousands of colored lights in the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade. Families and friends gather at their favorite viewing spots along the waterfront to see the yearly spectacle, with themes ranging from "Polar Express" to "Star Wars" and a fishing Santa.

This year's yacht parade will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Annapolis Harbor and Spa Creek above the Spa Creek Bridge.

Find out what's happening in Annapolis with free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year marks the 34th annual Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade. Here's what you need to know about viewing:

For information on access points, check out the Parade Map link .

Dress Warmly: Comfort over style. It's amazing how cold it can get when you stand in one spot for a couple of hours. Remember, there will be two fleets changing positions every hour or so. Don't leave just because the boats seem to.

Radio: WNAV Radio 1430 will be providing live coverage of the parade with roving reporters from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will report on the winners at 10 p.m. Winners also will be announced over marine radio Channel 72 at 10 p.m.

Where to Watch the Parade:

Eastport Bridge: If it's a warm or still night, this is the best vantage point. You can see the fleets both above and below the bridge and get a close-up look as they pass through the bridge. Note: The bridge will be closed to vehicles but open before the parade, at 6:45 and again at 7:45 p.m. Naval Academy: The length of seawall bordering Spa Creek offers a long, unobstructed viewing area. Check ahead for Naval Academy security regulations that will be in effect. City Dock: This is a perennial favorite spot for viewers where there is the choice of watching the boats collectively as they parade in the harbor or individually as they negotiate Ego Alley. The Alley spot offers the closest possible look at the decorations as well as the chicken wire and PVC pipe that support them. Harbor Queen: One fine vantage point at City Dock will be Watermark's Harbor Queen , moored at the end of the dock and conducting the "Queen of All Food Drives" during the parade. Bring a bag of non-perishable food, pet food items, or a cash donation ($10 recommended) and you'll be welcomed aboard. Beverages and snacks available for purchase and proceeds benefit the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. (Last year, even with the canceled show, over 300 pounds of food was donated, along with more than $1700.) EYC Lights Parade Dinner & Cruise aboard Catherine Marie : Start with dinner at the Severn Inn, then board Catherine Marie for dessert and champagne to view the parade. Price includes dinner and cruise plus dessert on board. $145/person (this event usually sells out). For more information on public boat events EYC Lights Parade viewing, visit CruisesOnTheBay.com . Other Spots: If you have friends with offices, homes, or boats along the harbor, this might be a nice time to renew acquaintances. Otherwise, the walkway in front of Annapolis City Marina in Eastport, or any of the streets that dead-end at the harbor or Spa Creek are good spots to view the parade. 1. Market, Shipwright & Revel Streets 2. Acton Cove 3. Southgate, Taney & Cheston Avenues 4. Lafayette Park 5. Monticello Avenue 6. Primrose Rd. (Truxton Park) 7. Burnside Street 8. Fourth Street 9. Third Street 10. Second Street 11. First Street

A Note on Parking

The parking site for this year’s parade will be the garage at Park Place, 100 Westgate Circle. There will be signs on Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue directing visitors to the garage. The Free City Shuttle will circulate every ten minutes from Park Place to downtown and from there back to Park Place until 2:30 AM. The Shuttle can be hailed anywhere along the route. The EYC Clubhouse will be open only to EYC members, their families, and invited/accompanied guests. You can watch the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade anywhere around the world on any mobile device or HD TV set. We'll post instructions soon on how to see this great Annapolis event! »Photo courtesy of Eastport Yacht Club, used with permission

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Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade

The eastport yacht club lights parade is a magnificent event that happens the second saturday night in december each year.  a fleet of boats adorn lights in many different and creative ways.  the cost of tickets for last year was $85.00 per person.  this includes a three course dinner, gratuity, access to our deck for prime viewing, and parking.  we sell tables like season tickets for a sporting event.  guest from the previous year will have the first right to purchase their table for the current year.  tables of 4 are the most common to come available. although reservations are difficult to obtain during the event, we will be seating our dining room after the show on a first come basis.  tables will usually become available after 8:30.  if you would like to dine with us after the show, please check in with the host/hostess upon arrival to the restaurant.  we recommend viewing the show from many of the public areas within our complex.  our inside bar will be open to the public along with an outside bar that evening.  unfortunately, parking that evening is limited to guests with reservations in the restaurant.  street parking is possible but limited.  if you would like to put your name on our waiting list for reservations during the show, please use the form below.  the waiting list for the 2024 show will start at 12 am december 9, 2023.   , lights parade wait list.

40 years and counting for the Eastport Yacht…

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40 years and counting for the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade in Annapolis Harbor

This year the parade will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 10 , when boats decked out in holiday lights will be paraded up Spa Creek and through Ego Alley.

The Light Parade started as a one-man show in the early 1980s when Jim Langer, while living on his boat in Spa Creek, adorned it with Christmas lights and paraded around Annapolis Harbor. It caught on over the years, turning into a multi-boat extravaganza over the next four decades. By 1988, the event was proclaimed the official Maryland Winter Celebration.

Annapolis invites everyone to find a good spot along the parade route to see colorfully lit boats on a crisp December evening.

“Make sure you come out early because in the past it’s been pretty busy,” said Trudy Stalder, an Eastport Yacht Club member who hasco-chaired the Light Parade for the last four years with husband Tom Stalder.

Spectators can see the parade from several places, from the Eastport Bridge to finding a spot at the Eastport Yacht Club. There will also be vantage points along City Dock, Susan Campbell Park, the Naval Academy sea wall and other spots along Spa Creek.

During the event, Watermark is teaming up with We Care and Friends to host a dockside fundraiser from 5:30 to 9 p.m. aboard the Harbor Queen. There will music, drinks and a front-row seat to the parade. In lieu of a ticket, We Care and Friends, a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis that helps people struggling with substance abuse, will be collecting monetary donations as well as toys, linens, bedding, blankets, toiletries, clothing, and non-perishable food items.

Watermark has partnered with different organizations like this since 2011 and are excited to uphold the tradition to help a worthy cause.

“It is an absolute pleasure to partner with We Care and Friends for this year’s Queen of All Fund Drives. They do phenomenal work to help our community,” said Jake Iversen, president of Watermark, in a statement. “The Lights Parade is an Annapolis tradition, and we hope to see a big turnout to enjoy the festivities and support this wonderful organization.”

This year, there will be more than 40 boats participating in the parade, a number Tom Stalder said he hopes will continue to increase as the event gets closer.

“This show was up to 65 boats in the late ’80s,” he said. “It’s been down into the 30s recently but last year we were up to 40 before we canceled and this year we have more than that and counting. Hopefully, the trend continues.”

Stalder said he believes LED lights have allowed more boaters to light their crafts for a more reasonable price. He recalls when boaters needed a generator to keep their boat lit up.

“We expect to see all kinds of creative lighting ideas some by theme and others with moving lights spelling out fun holiday messages,” Stalder said.

Stalder said they are seeing new registrations every day, adding that participants don’t need to be part of the Eastport Yacht Club.

The Stalders said they take great pride in being able to help present the parade to the city each year because it starts the holiday season in Annapolis.

“It’s like our gift to the city,” Trudy Stalder said.

The event will coincide with other holiday events happening in the city. The Annapolis Holiday Market will be open from Dec. 8 to 11 at City Dock, along with Midnight Madness, when downtown businesses stay open late on Dec. 1, 8 and 15, leading up to Christmas..

The city of Annapolis asks those planning to watch the parade to be mindful of the potential for cold air and water temperatures along with slippery surfaces on boat decks and near the water’s edge.

The rain date for the event is Dec. 9.

Check the Eastport Yacht Club’s website for registration and inclement weather information. Deadline to register a boat in the parade is Dec. 6.

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