Saturday, December 12, 2026

BCYC Foundation presents Boca Ciega Yacht Club's
40th Annual Lighted Christmas Boat Parade!

Each year, BCYC members and invited friends come together to spread holiday joy by decking the hulls and heading out on Boca Ciega Bay to parade the BCYC way!

Mandatory Captain's Meeting: Friday, December 11th @  6:00 pm
in person at the BCYC clubhouse.

This will also serve as the Captain Check-in where each captain will pick up a numbered sign and zip ties to be affixed to the STARBOARD side of their boats.

You can bring your Operation Santa donation that evening and place it in the collection box.

Operation Santa Donation: In place of an entry fee, we ask each skipper to donate two (or more) new, unwrapped children's toys to Operation Santa. Supermarket gift cards are also welcome, as are checks made payable to "Operation Santa" (please do not make checks out to BCYC or the BCYC Foundation). Donations may be placed in the Operation Santa collection boxes at the BCYC clubhouse and the Gulfport Police Department beginning in November 2026.

Prizes: Prizes will be awarded at the After-Party or may be picked up on Sunday, December 13th between 9am - noon.

If you have any questions, please contact Kathy and Gary Rhoads at boatparade@sailbcyc.org or 813-773 4784.

On Saturday...

Boats begin gathering in the bay at 5:30pm

Parade starts at 6:00 pm

We start at the Gulfport Municipal Marina and pass by the BCYC clubhouse on our way out into the bay heading to Gulfport's Williams Pier and the beach, passing by the Gulfport Casino. We make our way through the communities of Town Shores, Pelican Bay, Skimmers Point, Bayview Circle, past Kipps Colony, near the Pasadena Yacht & Country Club (please note, that due to the Marina, we can only get halfway down that canal), then along Dolphin Blvd, to the Pasadena Golf Club Estates, across to Isla del Sol, and then we will head back to our slips.

Click here to download map as PDF

But it's about more than fun and merriment!

The parade supports Operation Santa, the Gulfport Police Department's annual toy drive for Gulfport children whose holidays would not be as cheerful without the generosity of the community.

BCYC is proud to have been part of Operation Santa for over 24 years! There is no fee to enter the parade. Instead, we ask each skipper to donate two (or more!) new, unwrapped toys to Operation Santa. Toys may be placed in the Gulfport Police Department's Operation Santa collection box at the BCYC clubhouse or dropped off at the Gulfport Police Department.

NOTE: Operation Santa is run by the Gulfport Police Department. All donations are made to Operation Santa, not to BCYC or the BCYC Foundation, and neither organization keeps any portion of them. Consult your tax adviser regarding the deductibility of charitable donations.