Crystal Coast Christmas Parades and Flotillas

The great thing about Christmas parades on the Crystal Coast is that some of them actually take place on the water. There are four great parades in the area which both visitors and residents are eager to keep up with.

Swansboro Christmas Flotilla Friday night, November 27 5:00 p.m.

The earliest is the Swansboro Christmas Flotilla on the waterfront. Swansboro is a wonderful little town near the mouth of the White Oak River near where it enters the Atlantic Ocean. Fishing boats, house boats, sail boats, and even kayaks are common sights here. The main street in town is lined with great shops and eateries and the sidewalks are lit with luminaries for this special night. Boats which have been decorated with electric lights parade down the waterfront to the cheers of the excited spectators, many holding hot yummies like funnel cakes and cider or hot cocoa. Music abounds.

Emerald Isle Christmas Parade Saturday afternoon, November 28, 4:00 p.m.

The day after the Swansboro Flotilla you can see the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade. Emerald Dr. will be lined with viewers from the CVS parking lot to the intersection of Lee St and Emerald Dr. for this annual event. Floats, singers, horses, fire trucks, and classic cars along with all the local dignitaries (many tossing candy to the crowd!) will keep young and old alike watching for about an hour. The final guest is, of course, Santa, who in years past has arrived in a splendid horse drawn buggy. The evening ends with a tree lighting and carol sing at Merchants Park on Emerald Dr.

Morehead City/Beaufort Christmas Flotilla Saturday night, December 5, 5:00 p.m.

Another great evening can be spent on both the Morehead City and the Beaufort waterfronts. The lighted boats parade down the Morehead City waterway at 5:00 p.m. ending in a tree lighting and concerts by local choirs. The flotilla continues up the waterway to arrive in the town of Beaufort between 6 and 6:30 p.m. My favorite location is the upper deck of the Dock House restaurant with an ale and a bowl of clam chowder. Local shops and restaurants are open, cider and hot cocoa are available, and lots of great music provided by a brass ensemble. Santa has a small cottage near the boardwalk and is available pictures.

Get these four events on your holiday calendar and enjoy the Christmas season.