FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As preparations finish up the day before the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, 7’s Vivian Gonzalez asked organizers what the public should expect of the event.
The boat parade has been an annual event for 51 years and more than one million people arrive to watch the “Greatest Show on H2O.”
Lisa Scott-Founds, president and CEO of Winterfest, spoke with 7News in Las Olas Boulevard, outside of the Riverside Hotel.
Vivian Gonzalez: “Every year you make it a point to make things bigger and better. I want you to talk to us about how many boats we can expect to see this year and the highlights.”
Lisa Scott-Founds: “Well, it’s interesting because we have a waiting list for boats this year. We’ll let in boats, as they come in so. We’ll see how that goes, but it’s nice because the weather is going to be so fabulous everyone is deciding, well, maybe I will go in the parade. We have amazing vessels this year. Our theme this year is ‘Neon Nightlife Under the Sea’ so Winterfest is producing this fabulous neon boat with a big octopus on it. We’ve got sing-a-longs — we’ve never done those before. So we’ve got ‘Rudolph’ sing-a-long, and we also have this beautiful social media boat where people can sing with that — they’ll be able to see all the parties on the shore, and they’ll be able to see themselves. So we’re doing some new things, and with this whole neon lighting, we’ve got some cutting-edge technology happening, so people will see things they’ve never seen in the parade before: the way boats are all illuminated with neon colors. So, it really is gonna be a dynamic event this year with something that’s new for all.
Vivian Gonzalez: “Where’s the best place to watch the parade?”
Lisa Scott-Founds: “We have the most amazing front-row seating area. We have about 400 tickets left, so if anybody’s interested, now is the time to go to WinterfestParade.com. It is in Las Olas at the Intercoastal Promenade Park, so it is such a wonderful place. It starts at 7 o’clock when the boats arrive, and if you have little ones, it’s a great time because they’re able to get home and go to bed early after they see Santa Claus.”
Vivian Gonzalez: “Speaking of the little ones, they can track Santa throughout the parade, right?”
Lisa Scott-Founds: “Yes! We have a beautiful Santa tracker. It’s got coloring on it, and all the information that you need for the boat parade itself.”
Winterfest is a special holiday tradition in the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Senior Vice President of Fifth Third Bank, Julio Ramirez, also spoke to 7News about the upcoming event.
Vivian Gonzalez: “Fifth Third Bank has been sponsoring the Grand Marshal showboat for a couple of years now. Why is it important for your bank to sponsor this important holiday tradition?
Julio Ramirez: “Well, for us, it’s kind of connecting with organizations and other brands within the community that allow us to kind of showcase Fifth Third’s commitment to the community. So, when you think about folks like Seminole Hard Rock, you think about Winterfest and the Winterfest family. It’s a good place to show that we’re a part of the South Florida community and having a good time here.”
Vivian Gonzalez: “Personally, this is your second year being a part of the parade. What do you love most about it?”
Julio Ramirez: “So what’s interesting is, it’s not so much the parade, it’s everything leading up to the parade. Like, I tell our folks at the bank, it’s really the Winterfest family — planning the event, the advisory boards, the folks that get together all year long and really put their blood, sweat and tears into this event. That’s what I love the most. The energy, the vibe, the connectivity — that’s what makes it worth it for me.”
The parade is set to start at 6:30 p.m. in the downtown area of Fort Lauderdale.
WSVN is a proud sponsor of the annual Winterfest Boat Parade.
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