Wrightsville Beach will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with its 29th annual flotilla this weekend.
Families and friends gather at the beach for a two-day event filled with food, entertainment, lights and fireworks. From the evening of Nov. 23 to Nov. 24, an estimated 50,000 people are expected to visit the area for the event, organizers said.
The event will kick off Friday at 5:45 p.m. with a tree lighting ceremony and visit with Santa at Wrightsville Beach Town Hall, followed by a captains’ meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Blockade Runner hotel.
The first night will end with the “Anchors Away” Holiday Flotilla launch party at 7 p.m., when there will be a silent auction, live music, food and drinks. Tickets are $25 per person and the event is open to the public.
On Saturday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wrightsville Beach Park will host 91 vendors during the “Festival in the Park.” This daylong event will have booths, food, music, train rides and other children’s activities. A coloring contest will be held during the festival as well as an antique car show. To register a vehicle for the antique car show click here.
The event has been building up at this point for its finale— boat parade and fireworks show. The boat parade will take off at 6 p.m. Saturday, and a fireworks show will follow immediately after the parade is finished.
According to Nancy Fye Craig, co-chair of the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla, one new option to the event this year is the ability for the people to submit their favorite boat for the “People’s Choice Award,” via text message by sending a text to “24587” with your favorite boat number.
For more instructions visit the website.
While no official location is set for watching the parade, parking is available at the Wrightsville Beach Park parking lot. Parade viewing points are at any point of the route, including the Banks Channel Bridge, the two South Harbor Island mini-parks or the west side of Waynick Boulevard.
To register your boat for the flotilla click here. For more information about the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla visit the main website.
