Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade

View on map
Carnival & ParadeAnnapolis
DatesDates TBA · Usually DecemberCheck locally before booking
DurationWinterEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forMasks, paradesThis parade's origin story is unusually
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryCarnival & ParadeFestival type
The story

Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade in Annapolis

The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade sends decorated, illuminated boats through Annapolis Harbor and Spa Creek each December night, viewable free from City Dock, the Spa Creek Bridge, and waterfront parks. The tradition began informally in the 1980s when club members went out singing carols on their boats and grew into an annual parade now roughly forty years running, with the 2026 parade scheduled for December 12.

The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade traces its origin to the 1980s, when Eastport Yacht Club was still a small operation housed in a fourth-floor room with a bar in what is now Annapolis City Marina, a modest space that doubled as a communal living room for members who lived aboard their boats at the club.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

This parade's origin story is unusually charming and specific: in the 1980s, when Eastport Yacht Club was a small club with a bar on the fourth floor of what is now Annapolis City Marina, a few members who lived aboard their boats took them out one December night simply to sing Christmas carols around the harbor, and the tradition of decorating boats with lights grew directly out of that impromptu outing rather than any organized planning

02

The mystery stays covered

Because it is entirely free to watch from public shoreline, City Dock, the Spa Creek Bridge, and waterfront pocket parks, and requires no participant registration fee structure typical of most parades, it functions as a genuinely community-wide holiday tradition rather than a ticketed spectator event

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Boat owners decorating their own vessels with holiday lights

Water and renewal

Living ritual

entirely a do-it-yourself tradition rather than a vendor-built display

The sacred route

Living ritual

traces directly back to the club's 1980s carol-singing origin story and remains the parade's defining custom

The local code

Living ritual

with the fleet of illuminated boats sailing together through the harbor as the parade's central spectacle each December night

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually December

Getting around

For Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, plan transport around the exact Annapolis venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Fully outdoor harbor-front viewing in mid-December, cold winter weather typical of Chesapeake Bay Maryland; warm coats, hats, and gloves are essential for standing outside at night to watch...

Safety

Keep valuables light, set a meeting point, and give processions room to move.

Where to stay

For Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, stay near the part of Annapolis you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Many carnival moments are public, but confirm paid areas or stands before travel.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Annapolis, MD

Nearest airportBWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
TransportFor Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, plan transport around the exact Annapolis venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, stay near the part of Annapolis you will actually use, with reliable return transport.
FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade?

Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade is listed for December · Winter. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade take place?

The festival is listed in Annapolis, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Winter is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Annapolis, MD

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually December
Source statusNeeds editorial review

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →