Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade '18: Best Viewing, Live Stream

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, named as one of USA Today's Best Holiday Parades the past two years, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Annapolis Harbor and Spa Creek above the Spa Creek Bridge. If you can't attend in person, there's also a handy livestream link.

On Dec. 8, Annapolis Harbor will be filled with boats illuminated with thousands of colored lights in the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade. Families and friends will gather at their favorite viewing spots along the waterfront to see the yearly spectacle, with past themes ranging from "Polar Express" to "Star Wars" and a fishing Santa.

Bundle up if you go watch. The National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies Satuday night with a low around 29. North wind 6 to 8 mph.

The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade is again in the running for USA Today's 10Best Holiday Parades. You can vote once daily between now and noon on Monday, Dec. 10, to bring the title back to Annapolis. Other contenders include America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, the Reston Holiday Parade in Reston, Virginia, and the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Lights Parade will take place along the Annapolis Spa Creek waterfront, below and above the bridge. For information on access points, check out the Parade Map.

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 provide live coverage of the parade with roving reporters from 6 to 8 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.

Call the Lights Parade Hotline at 1-844-INFOEYC (844-463-6392) for day-of updates and answers to frequently asked questions.

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 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. 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.
  • Market, Shipwright & Revel Streets
  • Acton Cove
  • Southgate, Taney & Cheston Avenues
  • Lafayette Park
  • Monticello Avenue
  • Primrose Rd. (Truxton Park)
  • Burnside Street
  • Fourth Street
  • Third Street
  • Second Street
  • First Street

A Note on Parking

The parking site for the 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.

Please note that the EYC Clubhouse will be open only to EYC members, their families, and invited/accompanied guests.

Livestream App

You can watch the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade anywhere around the world on your phone. Download the Where in Annapolis app from iTunes to view the livestream.

Photo courtesy of Eastport Yacht Club, used with permission