FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) – Boaters are putting the finishing touches on their celebratory vessels before the biggest show on the water sets sail this weekend.
The countdown has begun for the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade. That means holiday displays are hard at work as people plan to partake in the South Florida tradition.
7 News cameras caught Captain John Olkers decorating two boats in Fort Lauderdale Thursday morning, including a giant inflatable Santa Claus.
“Let’s go all out this year and make our boats really cool and stand out,” he said.
Attendees like Oelkers spend their time checking the lights and power on their floating displays.
“We’ve been buying supplies for probably the last three months,” he said. “You buy something and you think, ‘Oh, I want more,’ and then you want more. At night, you basically want to light up both of these boats as brightly as possible.”
John said the boat parade is a Christmas tradition his family has participated in for years.
“When I was 5 years old, I was always in every parade,” he said. “We always bring in private boats.”
His two pontoon boats transform into Santa’s sleigh, led by a flock of alligators in place of Rudolph and his friends.
“We had two big 6-foot alligators on the sides of the boat, all custom made and painted with Santa hats on them,” he said. “And then we get on this boat and in the back you see Santa all up and ready. This is going to be our sleigh here. This will give us all the elves and everything else we want to be a part of. All guests will be able to participate.”
It’s a chance for South Florida to show off its holiday spirit while benefiting the community.
“Just keep your head up and get over it,” Olkers said. “We wanted to do something with a boat parade that no one had ever done before, and we wanted to give back to the community and get more people here, get people outside and bring out the spirit. is.”
For tickets and more information about Saturday’s Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, click here.
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