Lights on the water

There will be plenty of Christmas parades around the Shoals during the coming month, but only three where the floats will actually float.

"People can come see our floats float on the water," said Al Deason, general manager at Joe Wheeler State Park lodge where about a dozen boats are expected for the park's 29th Christmas parade of lights on Dec. 8.

The parade will feature boats of all sizes decorated with Christmas lights.

"We have everything from ski boats up to cruisers," Deason said.

The boats will make several laps around First Creek in front of the park's lodge and new cabins. The parade begins around 5:30 p.m.

Boats will also parade on Pickwick Lake on Dec. 8. The annual Pickwick Christmas parade of lights begins at 6:30 p.m. at Florence Harbor Marina.

A boat parade on Wilson Lake is Dec. 1. Bob England, an organizer of the Pickwick parade, said the floating parades are fun for the boaters who participate.

At the Wheeler parade, spectators can watch from the park's lodge or along the shoreline. Deason said visitors who rent one of the new cabins that opened earlier this month can watch from their cabin.

The park's restaurant will serve a Christmas buffet for boat parade spectators beginning at 4 p.m.

Numerous shoreline residents along the route of the Wilson Lake parade will invite friends and family to watch the colorful boats. Spectators will also gather at Lock Six, Veterans and Wilson Dam Overlook parks to watch.

On Pickwick, many Sheffield residents living along the bluff that overlooks the lake will have parade watching parties. Spectators will also gather at McFarland and Riverfront parks.

Unlike some Christmas parades that have strict rules and themes, the local boat parades offer much flexibility for decorating the boats. Decorations on the boats range from simple wreaths to elaborate light displays.

"My wife and I hang a couple of lights on our boat," England said. "Some of the other boaters go all out with their decorations and spend many hours decorating their boat."

Because spectators might be several hundred feet from the parade route, organizers encourage boaters to use lots of lights to ensure they vessel's decorations can be seen from the shore.

While some people think they must own a large boat to participate, England said the Pickwick event is open to vessels of all sizes.

"We've got a couple of fishing boats, a pontoon boat, cruisers, house boats and boats of all kinds," he said.

After the Pickwick parade, the boaters will gather at Florence Harbor Marina for a Christmas celebration, England said.

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com.