Chamber Boat Parade to raise anchor Saturday
Matanzas Pass and Bay will be filled with Christmas cheer and holiday spirit this Saturday when the Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Boat Parade strolls by.
Many well-lit, decorated boats will begin cruising from Pink Shell Resort Marina at roughly 6 p.m. Saturday for the chamber-sponsored event. The route will again be through the pass and through the canals of Siesta Isles.
Many onlookers from ashore and parked boats are expected to watch the 24th annual Holiday Boat Parade. The event is brought to you by the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Myers Beach Yacht Club and sponsored by Pink Shell Resort and Spa, Captiva Cruises, Pinchers Crab Shack, Sea Tow, Doc Fords, Nervous Nellies and Matanzas Inn.
The lead boat of VIPs, including Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, is being provided by Captiva Cruises.
Decorating talents will be judged on festiveness and creativity with first-, second- and third-place trophies going to the following participants:
– powerboats less than 26 feet in length
– powerboats 26 feet and more in length
– sailboats
There will also be a “people’s choice” award, where spectators will also vote for their favorite decorated boat. There will be additional prizes to all captains and crews present at the awards ceremony, which follows the parade at Matanzas Inn.
“This is the second year for the people’s choice award, so we’re excited about that,” said Boat Parade Co-chairman Dan Eaton. “We’re trying to build more community participation, so that’s why we asked for additional sponsors at the viewing area such as Matanzas Inn, Nervous Nellies, Pink Shell Resort and Bonita Bill’s.”
If interested in participation, boat captains can pick up a registration form at their favorite marina; West Marine; visit the Greater Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce at 17200 San Carlos Blvd.; or call the office at 454-7500.
Other upcoming holiday events
– “Wrap Me Up In Christmas”
Before the boat parade takes sail, the chamber and the merchants of Santini Marina Plaza would like to invite everyone for the inaugural “Wrap Me Up In Christmas,” a holiday gift fair being held Saturday, Dec. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the plaza’s 7205 Estero Blvd. location.
The chamber is expecting some 50 vendors to be selling arts, crafts and gourmet gifts in an outdoor market setting. Santini merchants will also be holding sidewalk sales in connection with the event.
Volunteers from Cape Coral High School’s art classes will be dressed as elves and provide a gift-wrapping service for donations once you’ve chosen the right gift for the right person at the fair. Once your purchase is wrapped, the local UPS store will be on hand to pack and ship your gifts. What a great way to help a needy child and get all of your holiday shopping done and shipped to your family and friends at the same time.
For more information on “Wrap Me Up In Christmas” or “Spirit of the Holidays” contact the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce at 454-7500.
– The Spirit of the Holidays Annual Auction
The annual auction will again be held at South Beach Grille on Dec. 7, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person, which includes a dinner choice of salmon or steak.
Proceeds from the auction and any other fundraising efforts enable The Spirit of the Holidays committee to provide for needy children of Estero Island.
For tickets and more information on the auction, contact the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce office by either dropping by 17200 San Carlos Blvd or by calling 454-7500. Tickets can be picked up at the door or by calling Mellott at 463-7200 (ext. 207). Don’t delay. Deadline for dinner reservations is tomorrow (Dec. 2).
– Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Pancake Breakfast
The annual pancake breakfast will be held at Red Coconut RV Park on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 7 to 10 a.m. Local fire fighters will cook pancakes and sausage to go along with orange juice and coffee. K-Kids, a youth club of current Beach school fifth graders sponsored by the Beach Kiwanis, will seat the hungry customers.
The cost of the breakfast is $5, which goes to Spirit of the Holidays.
– ‘Wrapping Party’ for Spirit of the Holidays
Red Coconut RV Park will have its annual ‘Wrapping Party’ for Spirit of the Holidays on Dec. 15. Volunteers, food donations, wrapping paper, gift bags, boxes and bows are still needed for this notable cause.
– Spirit Giving Tree
This year, the Spirit of the Holidays Committee is offering a Spirit Giving Tree to local businesses to benefit the cause.
Chairperson Amy Mellott will be creating ornaments, which will have a specific child’s name, an assigned ID number, their age and three of their wishes.
“The idea is that businesses will get these ornaments, put them on a tree and people can come and take the ornament, buy the gift and return it to the tree unwrapped,” she said. “It can be in a bag, but unwrapped because we do are own wrapping party.”
Businesses are encouraged to join the giving. Some have agreed to erect giving trees in their offices to benefit needy children, including South Beach Grille, Lahaina Realty, Century 21 Tripower, Indian Creek RV Park and the chamber office.