By Martie Thompson
editor@floridanewsline.com
Since 1988, the Julington Creek Prop Club has presented the Julington Creek Boat Parade of Lights for everyone to come out and enjoy. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2 beginning at 7 p.m. The highly anticipated night is for all families to gather and enjoy the beauty of color, lights, and sounds of the season along Julington Creek.
This festive annual event has an estimated 40 boats of all shapes, sizes, and themes participating in the event. Boats decked out in all their holiday finery navigate the parade route, which begins at the Julington Creek Marina, goes underneath the Julington Creek Bridge and motors around Bulls Bay, then returns under the bridge and continues down Durbin Creek. Spectators can view it from the Julington Creek Bridge walkways.
Homeowners with docks located on the parade route are invited to join in the fun too. Decorated docks can vie for a variety of prizes. Tradition holds that the boaters judge the docks. The best holiday decorated boat gets a $300 cash prize, while second place gets $200 and third place $100. All boaters participating will also receive a Captain’s Gift Bag. Prizes are also awarded for “Best Dock” along the parade route.
“The people along the shores of the creek put on quite a show for us every year,” said Julington Creek Prop Club Commodore Rob Ponik.
According to Ponik, there is a great deal of planning and organizational prep work done before the boat parade. In October each year, the Prop Club starts contacting boaters, area merchants and residents gathering donations for the event. Some of the boats participating in the parade are Prop Club members and others come from all over the area. Boats range in size from 17 to 40 feet in length.
“Annual dues provide some of the funds for the Julington Creek Boat Parade of Lights, but we depend and appreciate many local business’ and waterfront owners contributions as well,” said Ponik. “We look forward to seeing everyone at the boat parade.”
The Prop Club is a social organization of boaters that meets on the second Saturday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Julington Creek Marina dock. All interested boaters are invited to join for boating information and fun at the creek. Visit www.jcpropclub.com for more information.
Photo courtesy Julington Creek Prop Club
