Sail into the most wonderful time of the year at the 22nd Annual Newport Illuminated Boat Parade on Friday, November 29, 2019 at 6 p.m. sharp. Spectators can view this highly anticipated dazzling display of nautical holiday spirit along Newport Harbor’s waterfront from the Newport Yacht Club (open to the public for the event), Perrotti Park, Bowen’s Wharf, Bannister’s Wharf and points around Newport Harbor.

Viewing of the parade is free of charge, making this a great family event to embrace the spirit of the holiday season. Parade boats will rendezvous just south of the Goat Island Causeway then proceed east for the official start at Newport Yacht Club. Boats will proceed south along the downtown waterfront and then turn around to return to the Goat Island Causeway area.

“This year, the parade committee selected Susan Maffei Plowden of Jamestown as the 2019 Parade Marshall,” said Harbormaster Tim Mills. “As CEO of Suma Events, ‘Suma,’ as she is known locally, has managed and orchestrated the most prestigious events in nearly every international sailing arena including the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, the Olympic Games and other racing circuits in locations as far afield as Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand in addition to regattas throughout North America and Europe.”

Emceed by What’s Up Newp’s Ryan Belmore, the parade will feature a variety of watercraft that call Narragansett Bay home including leisure boats of all sizes, commercial fishing boats, tugboats, and Coast Guard and Navy vessels. Boats will compete for first place in the following categories: Best Decorated Sailboat (commercial and recreational), Best Decorated Powerboat (commercial and recreational), Best Decorated Fishing Boat, and finally, historically the parade’s most entertaining category, Most Team Spirit. An awards ceremony will immediately follow at the Newport Yacht Club.

To contribute to the community this holiday season, participants and spectators are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center (a donation box will be set up inside the Newport Yacht Club).