By Martie Thompson
editor@floridanewsline.com

Christmas on the Creek will light up Julington Creek on Saturday, Dec. 5 beginning at 7 p.m. The annual event, sponsored by the Julington Creek Prop Club, is celebrating its 32nd year — and Prop Club Commodore Tom
Clay is extending an invitation for St. Johns County and Mandarin neighbors to come out and get in the holiday spirit.

“The event is a lot of fun, not only for the boaters who decorate their boats, but also for the homeowners along the shore from Bulls Bay to the Julington Creek/Durbin Creek split who also decorate their homes and docks,” Clay said. 

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Established in 1988, this annual event features an estimated 35 boats, ranging in size from 15 feet to 35 feet, decked out in all their holiday finery. Boats play Christmas music and people on the boats sing and dance. Clay said it is the second largest boat parade in the area, after the downtown Jacksonville event.

The parade route begins at the Marina at Julington Creek, goes underneath the Julington Creek Bridge and around Bulls Bay (where Julington Creek empties into the St. Johns River), then returns under the bridge and continues down Julington Creek. Members of the Julington Creek Prop Club are in a boat in Bulls Bay to judge the decorated boats as they go by, then the judging boat follows the last boat in the parade up the creek to judge the homes and docks. 

According to Clay, the best decorated boat is awarded a $300 cash prize while second place gets $200 and third place gets $100. Prizes are also awarded for “Best Dock” along the parade route. 

“The best place for spectators to view the parade is from both sides of the Julington Creek Bridge,” Clay said. “We will have deputies from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office there for assistance.”

There is a great deal of planning and organizational work done in advance of this event. The Prop Club starts in October each year contacting boaters, area merchants and residents gathering donations for the event. Annual dues from Prop Club members provide most of the funds required to stage Christmas on the Creek. Clay said that last year, the Prop Club donated excess funds to the Jacksonville Humane Society.

The Julington Creek Prop Club is a social organization of boaters that meets on the second Saturday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Marina at Julington Creek. All interested boaters are invited to join the Prop Club for boating information and fun. View the club’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/jcpropclub/ for more information.

Photos courtesy Julington Creek Prop Club
“Christmas on the Creek” returns Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

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