Jacksonville Light Boat Parade & Fireworks Spectacular

This is great event!! I've been 2 times and enjoyed myself very much both times! It does get packed but nothing horrible cause you can watch from either side of the river and it's very spread out! I would recommend getting there a little early to find a spot, pack snacks and drinks! Real drinks too! Then sit back and enjoy the boats cruising by! Crystal invited us to watch this year from a huge boat, a naval museum! That was awesome cause it's front row watching and not crowded! 2 thumbs up! Great free event!

Not sure if the boat parades of old were better, but this one was definitely lacking participation. Some boats looked like last minute entries and threw a string of lights around their railing and joined the parade.It's admirable that they were there, but I wouldn't invest my time to go back next year. The pop-up market at the site of the old Jacksonville Landing was just ok, lots of wrapped insulated cup vendors for some reason, I guess it's a trend.There were about 6-8 food trucks, but lines were very long, so we decided to leave the below average parade and get dinner in the Riverside area.With all of the boats in Jacksonville, maybe the city can try to get some sponsors to provide prizes as incentive for more boats to enter.

Jacksonville, you Wowed me! For years, I've seen the pictures of the fireworks spilling from the elevated Main Street Bridge and I have ALWAYS wanted to see it in person. Finally, I planned to go. I manage to secure seats aboard the USS Orleck- they had a private event party and had 200 seats reserved. The Orleck is docked just North of the bridge and was a perfect spot to watch the boat parade and fireworks. Vanessa T and her daughter met me, we sat on the main deck - forward and we saw the crowded riverbank below of thousands of spectators. The boat parade started slow, boats were spread out. About half way through the boats were closer together and the pace was much quicker. Our favorite decorated boats were the sailboat with the Christmas Tree mast, the boat with the tall palm tree and hammock and the boat with the carousal. Once the boats finished they cleared out and the firework barge moved into place just North of us. Fireworks began fired from the Acosta Bridge and from the barge. About half way through- the Main Street Bridge began the spectacular display of fireworks pouring down like a waterfall- a firefall! I felt like a kid during the fireworks display and really loved every minute. I took tons of pictures and Vanessa's daughter looked how I felt- simply awe-inspired. Great fun. Parking is crazy, I got downtown around 4pm and the parade didn't start until 6pm. I paid $10 to park at the old landing parking lot. I was able to get out pretty quickly because I parked so close to the river- I would recommend that!

Ok, so the boat parade is my thing. I look forward to it EVERY year and I can't think of a year that I have missed it. From the beautifully decorated boats, to the fantastic fireworks show, to the holiday cheer in the air, it just makes me feel happy!You can watch the boat parade from either side of the river, and parking can get a little crazy, but it is all worth it to me. Personally I prefer the Southbank, but to each it's own. The boats typically circle twice and then the winners are announced. And then...the most fantastic fireworks show of the year! My personal favorite part of it is the firework waterfall off of the Acosta bridge. The boat parade is my most favorite event that the city puts on. It lets me know that yes, it is now appropriate to wear Christmas shirts in public. And yes, now my friends will stop making fun of me since my house has been decorated for Christmas since veteran's day. And yes, Christmas is just weeks away! It is the best way to kick off the holidays with a bang and it will definitely put you in the holiday spirit!

This was my first time going to the light boat parade in downtown Jacksonville. We live so close it's a shame I haven't gone the years prior. It's definitely an event everyone should attend at some point while living in Jacksonville or visiting the area. You can just feel the energy of the crowds and the participants go all out decorating their boats. Impressive.It's totally free unless you pay for parking. We found easy parking at the Doubletree Hotel for only $10. In addition, we watched most of the firework show at their pool with no issues from the staff and everyone seemed to get along well where we were stationed on the south bank.I've always tried to stay clear from the Landing if I can help it. And because you can enjoy the views from the other side opposite the Landing without any hassle and possibly easier parking, why not do it? Overall, this is a must-do free Thanksgiving weekend event that's fun for family, friends and everyone involved. This is also a pet friendly event--although some pups may not like the sound of the fireworks when they're going off. Either way, glad we made it out this year!

What a nice thing the City of Jacksonville and sponsors do with the boat parade and the fantastic fireworks after it! They changed the date of the boat parade to coincide with the Taxslayer football game and for the tourist in town. Because of the change attendance was down, that and 43 degree weather! But how seasonable, finally! The south bank river walk was beautiful! The pavers and unique covered seating was something to see! Made me proud this was my city! The waterfalls fireworks off the Main Street bridge was just fantastic...worth the wait and cold!

This was my first time at the annual light boat parade & fireworks show and I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED IT FOR YEARS!! To say it was incredible would be the understatement of the century. The boats were gorgeous and debating with everyone on the turkey/snail was the highlight of my light. The fireworks after were some of the most brilliant fireworks I'd ever seen! They had two separate barges shooting these pop-crackers into the air. I didn't know which way to look! The incorporation of the Bridges completely took my breathe away and I don't want to spoil it, but MY GOSH. I forgot what it felt like to be a kid and be dazzled by the pretty sparklers in the sky, but this night reminded me of that. Really hope to be there again next year!

This is an event that has been held for 31 years now. It's a lot of fun, with up to 100 decorated boats on parade on the St. John's River from Metro Park to the Fuller Warren Bridge (2 complete laps). Thanks to the Riverwalk (on both Northbank and Southbank) you do not have to go to the Jacksonville Landings to experience the show.

Very disappointed in the turn out. They changed the regular date from the Saturday after Turkey day to the day before the Gator Bowl (New Year's eve). 200,000 normally turn out for this annual event, but I am interested in seeing the final numbers for the paltry attendance this year. The boat parade lasted maybe 30 minutes and we are expected to wait over an hour for the fireworks at 9:30. They made a second trip around to stall for time, but many had already left the area we were sitting. This event was originally for the locals and family from out of town, not out of towners too busy partying indoors with their teams. Hopefully, the city of Jacksonville will rectify this next year. This being said, thank you to all the participants for taking the time in decorating their boats to entertain us.

this is always a fun event to go to , and i like that its the day after the tree lighting so you can see the tree up too..lots of people, lots of fun!