2021 Destin Boat Parade - Holiday on the Harbor

Now that all of the turkeys and mashed potatoes have been served, it’s time to deck the halls with Christmas cheer! This season, there’s a ton of events back and better than ever. We are very excited to share a community favorite, the Holiday on the Harbor - Destin Boat Parade! Join in the fun, December 12th at 6pm on the HarborWalk Village. 

The Harbor will surely be lit up with Christmas joy! Before the parade, get the whole family together and enjoy meeting santa at 1pm. Then at 4:45pm stay for a special performance of the Nutcracker from the Ballet Conservatory of the Destin School of Music & Dance. Following the performance at 6pm, the traditional Destin Boat Parade will begin. 

In between events, we recommend grabbing a bite to eat at the numerous restaurants on the harbor. If you would like a restaurant with a good view of the parade, here is what we recommend. Check out, Tailfins, Aj’s Seafood, Margaritaville, the Boathouse, Harry T’s, East Pass Oyster Pass, and Rhumcay. Most of these restaurants have a better viewing area from different parts of their layout. If you want to make sure you get the best spot in the house, get there early! Two other restaurant options are Boshamps and the Marina Cafe. However, these two locations will be more of a view from a distance as they sit back farther from the parade route. If you are looking for a spot that isn’t a restaurant, some options are the docks of Harborwalk Boardwalk and Marina, the Destin Bridge, and the beaches of Norriego Point.

The parade will begin on the East side of the Harbor and end near the Destin Bridge and East Pass area. Once all of the boats have passed the Norriego Point, a firework show will go off to celebrate the end of the parade! In past years, the parade ends around 7:30pm but we can’t say exactly since it all depends on how long it takes the boats to get to the end. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a jacket. It can get a bit windy and sometimes chilly during the December month. 

If you would like to be in the parade, there’s a few ways to get involved! Boats of all shapes and sizes are invited to register to be in the parade. So, if you take joy in gloating over your boat, you can register your boat at the Destin History & Fishing Museum at 108 Stahlman Avenue or call 850-837-6611! Another option, look into booking a boat excursion that evening! A few of the boat excursions offer a special boat parade and fireworks cruise that night but be sure to book ahead. Some of the boats include, Cruisin’ Tikis, Buccaneer Pirate Ship, Southern Star Dolphin Cruise, Boogies DOlphin Cruise and Destin Snorkel to name a few.

This is one the best Christmas events of the season! Sit back and enjoy the mesmerizing lights gleam off our Destin boats. Grab the entire family, you won’t regret it. Merry Christmas, Destin!