FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - It was a night of delights as scores of boats sailed into one of South Florida’s biggest holiday traditions.
For the thousands of South Floridians who took in the awe-inspiring sights along Las Olas, the event billed at the greatest show on H2O lived up to its name.
The entire river on Saturday night was lined with people excited for the 51st Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale.
“The party, the beautiful lights, friendly people. We love it,” said reveler Jodie Simon.
Others were just pretty excited to party.
“I heard about it, and I was, ‘I gotta figure out where I’m going,’ saw there was an open bar for $90. I thought that was a pretty easy answer for me,” said Cody Hardag.
7News cameras captured a floating tiki, the Grinch, Santa Clause and some familiar faces from the 7News family.
7News anchors Belkys Nerey and Craig Stevens smiled and waved at the large crowds.
“Hi, everybody!” said Nerey.
Some visitors and first-timers said the nearly 100 brightly-lit vessels yielded quite a few surreal images.
“There’s more big boats around here than anywhere that I’ve been before,” said reveler David Dauzat. “In Louisiana, the boats that we see that we think are big are kind of like small.”
“We do the Newport Beach parade, but just from seeing a preview when we had lunch, your boats and everything here make our boats look like little dinghies decorated,” said Sheri Stankewitz, “and everybody in Newport thinks they’re the best, but I’m going to probably have to say your guys probably blow us out of the water.”
For local residents, the event serves as a reminder of why the choose to live in South Florida.
“Just being able to be with friends from California in beautiful Florida, was great to come out,” said April Devane. “It’s even better that I get to have a tank top on.”
If you didn’t make it to Winterfest this weekend, you have several chances to watch the parade on 7: next Saturday, Dec. 17, at 9 p.m., Christmas Day at 11 a.m. and New Year’s Day at midnight.
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