For years, Sailfish Marina supported the north county holiday boat parade, a tradition run by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County. At some point the marina asked the organizers whether the parade could start a little farther south, closer to its docks in Palm Beach Shores. According to The Palm Beach Post, the organizers said that wasn't logistically possible. Alyssa Freeman, the association's executive director, then suggested that Sailfish Marina start a parade of its own.
The marina did, and that changed the local calendar. The parade that starts at Singer Island's southern tip is the new one. The 32-year-old tradition starts in North Palm Beach and heads away from the island. This December the two events fall on back-to-back Saturdays, and for anyone living on Singer Island, Palm Beach Shores or along Riviera Beach's waterfront, they call for different evenings.
How the County Ended Up With a Third Parade
Before 2025, Palm Beach County had two holiday boat parades. The Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade ran from North Palm Beach to Jupiter, and the Boynton Beach Holiday Boat Parade ran from Lantana down to Delray Beach. The Post described the new Sailfish Marina event as filling the "sweet spot" between them, starting at the southern tip of Singer Island. That stretch of the Intracoastal sits directly in front of the island, and until last year no parade covered it.
The first Boat Parade of the Greater Palm Beaches ran on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The route changed before launch night. The Palm Beach Daily News reported that Palm Beach's town council denied a request to raise the Flagler bridge for the parade, which forced a route change. Sailfish Marina's 2025 event page describes the route as heading south toward West Palm Beach, turning at what it calls "Rybovich North," then running north along the Intracoastal to North Palm Beach.
WPBF's event-day coverage last December said the marina's VIP party had sold out, free viewing areas were still open, and the marina intended the parade to become an annual tradition. It has a second date on the calendar now.
Two Saturdays, Side by Side
| Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade | Boat Parade of the Greater Palm Beaches | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026 | Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026 |
| Edition | 32nd annual | 2nd annual |
| Organizer | Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County | Sailfish Marina |
| Route | North Palm Beach north to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse | Intracoastal Waterway, Singer Island to North Palm Beach |
| Timing | Starts 6 p.m., reaches Jupiter around 8 p.m. | 2026 start time not yet posted |
| Charity partners | Toys for Tots and Little Smiles | Little Smiles Annual Holiday Toy Drive |
Little Smiles benefits from both nights. The two events also serve different stretches of water. The Dec. 5 parade starts north of the island and finishes in Jupiter, with a Zambelli traveling fireworks display leading the fleet and a grand finale at the Jupiter Lighthouse. The Dec. 12 parade covers the water you see from Singer Island.
Dec. 12, From the Island Side
Sailfish Marina's 2026 event page confirms the date, the Singer Island to North Palm Beach route, decorated boats, a fireworks show, a toy drive partnership with Little Smiles, and Santa Claus riding aboard the Grand Marshal boat. The page doesn't yet list a staging area, a start time or a detailed route for this year. The specifics below come from 2025, so check the marina's page closer to the date.
The VIP viewing party is confirmed for 2026. The ticket listing puts it at Sailfish Marina, 98 Lake Drive in Palm Beach Shores, from 4 to 8 p.m., with fireworks included. Last year's party sold out.
Here is how the 2025 inaugural worked, as described by Shannon Carnahan, Sailfish Marina's director of marketing and sales, in the Post's preview:
- The decorated fleet staged just north of the Blue Heron Bridge.
- A six-minute fireworks display at 6 p.m. started the parade.
- Boats worked south along the Palm Beach side of the Intracoastal toward West Palm Beach before crossing to the west side and turning north.
- The marina set up free bleacher seating in addition to the ticketed party on its south lawn.
- Onsite parking was limited and cost $20, and trolleys ran between the marina and several parking lots on Singer Island.
If the 2026 parade follows a similar plan, the fireworks and the first boats will be closest to the island right at the start. Once the fleet heads south, the next close look from the mainland side comes after the turn north.
Where people watched in 2025
The 2025 viewing spots came from three sources. Sailfish Marina's 2025 event page listed Sailfish Marina, West Palm Beach, Osprey Park, Riviera Beach Marina, Lake Park Marina, Kelsey Park, Lakeside Park and North Palm Beach. The Post added Brian H. Chappell Park and Bicentennial Park along the northbound stretch. WPBF's preview named Peanut Island, Phil Foster Park and Lake Park Marina.
For Singer Island households, the closest spots on that list are Sailfish Marina, Phil Foster Park and Riviera Beach Marina. One change at Phil Foster Park since last December: Palm Beach County Parks lists the playground at 900 E. Blue Heron Blvd. as closed until further notice while the park prepares new facilities. The Blue Heron Bridge snorkel trail is still open. Families who plan to arrive early and let children play before dark should plan around that closure.
Dec. 5 Means Heading North
The Dec. 5 route never passes Singer Island. The Marine Industries Association runs its fleet up the Intracoastal from North Palm Beach to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. The parade starts at 6 p.m., arrives in Jupiter around 8 p.m., and runs rain or shine.
The association's 2026 list of public viewing sites starts at the southern end of the route and works north:
- North Palm Beach Country Club
- Waterway Cafe, PGA
- Bert Winters Park, Juno
- Juno Park, Juno
- Sawfish Bay Park, Jupiter
- Lighthouse Park, Jupiter
- Waterway Park, Jupiter
- Riverwalk, Jupiter
- Harbourside Place, Jupiter
- Charlie and Joe's at Love Street, Jupiter
- Square Grouper Tiki Bar, Jupiter
- Utiki
- Jetty's
North Palm Beach Country Club and Waterway Cafe are the shortest drives from the island. They also see the fleet first, close to the 6 p.m. start. The Jupiter sites see the parade later in the evening and are closest to the lighthouse finale. If you'd rather watch both events from the water, the association is giving registration incentives to boaters who sign up by Nov. 19. Entry is free, the refundable $50 deposit is waived for early registrants, and every registered boat is entered in a $250 cash drawing.
The 2026 boat entry application for the Dec. 12 parade is linked from Sailfish Marina's parade page.
Filling the Afternoon Before Dec. 12
The second parade gives Singer Island a full Saturday close to home. At John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, "Secret Lives of Snakes" runs at the park amphitheater from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 12. That leaves plenty of time to head south to Palm Beach Shores before the 4 p.m. party opens at Sailfish Marina. The same program runs on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 1 to 1:30 p.m., for anyone who wants to see it before December.
Two other things to keep in mind at the park: the Nature Center restrooms have been unavailable since Aug. 5, 2026, with portable toilets on site, and the North Beach restroom has been listed as closed since March 2025.
So the Singer Island plan looks like this: the snake program at the state park on the afternoon of Dec. 12, then the marina lawn, the bleachers or a spot near Phil Foster Park when the fleet sets out. The Dec. 5 parade is a drive north to North Palm Beach or Jupiter.
If you're planning to host family over the holidays and want to know which Singer Island and Palm Beach Shores buildings face that part of the Intracoastal, Erin Duke-Warren and The Benchmark Group know the waterfront building by building and can walk you through it. Let's connect.
