Boat Parade

Boat Parade for Sunday, June 9, 2024 has been cancelled due to a Small Craft Advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

The Boat Parade route for 2024 has been extended to include the waters of Monroe Bay!

2023 Boat Parade Entry Winners

Overall Best Decorated Boat
Captain Dawn Jenkins on “You’re Gonna Love It Two!”

Yacht Class:
1st Place: Captain Robert Mayer on “Gailwinds”

2nd Place: Captain Bruce Thomas on “Southern Cross”
3rd Place: Captain Mike Cashman on “Grace”

Cruiser Class:
1st Place: Captain Peggy Saylor on “Island Girl”

2nd Place: Captain James Goetz on "Group Therapy"
3rd Place: Captain Gary Swain on “Reel Casino”

Runabout/Bowrider Class:

1st Place: Captain Dawn Jenkins on “You’re Gonna Love It Two!”

2nd Place: Captain Calvin Messenger on “Why Knot”
3rd Place: Captain Chris Ingram on “Eagle Has Landed”

Work Boat Class:

1st Place: Captain Dave Wright on “PropWash”

2nd Place: Captain Samuel M. Bailey on “Samuel M. Bailey”

Jim Wilkerson was Grand Marshall for the 72nd Annual Potomac River Festival Boat Parade. The Wilkerson family have lived in the area for several generations. Jim's wife, Alice, whom he met in college, is from Raleigh, North Carolina. Jim is semi- retired, and his son, Jay, is the President of the family business, Herbert Wilkerson and Son, Inc. Jim is a boater and avid sport fisherman on the Potomac and in North Carolina. Jim's great grandfather established and owned the original Wilkerson's Seafood Restaurant. In 1946, Jim’s father, Walter and his grandfather, Herbert started the current Wilkerson’s Seafood Restaurant. 

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I was finally able to attend for the first time a few years ago. I had seen the one that takes place during Winter Festival in December, but this one is during the Potomac River Festival in June. It is one of the last events to take place on festival weekend, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
The theme for the 2013 event, where these shots were taken, was "Bounties of the Potomac"
Town Pier is most likely the best vantage point for this event. If you have a boat, you can anchor out offshore and view it from there. The outdoor deck at High Tides Restaurant is another good spot, as are the beaches. It takes place on Sunday afternoon of festival weekend. Here are the results of the 2013 Boat Parade:

Judge's Favorite: Bay Monster Two entry number 66 (photo at top of this page). It was a great entry! They had large fake fish on hooks and it appeared they were landing some good catches.

Runabout 25' Class:
1st Place: Princess Anne
2nd Place: #6 Point of View

26 to 35-foot Cruisers:
1st Place: #43 Dream Catcher
2nd Place: #44 Lucky Old Sun
3rd Place: Good Sun

36-foot and Up:
1st Place: #63 Miss Chrissy (antique deadrise)
2nd Place: Santee 2
3rd Place: Every Chance 2

Best Decorated:
1st Place: #7 Pirate Ship (photo above)
2nd Place: #66 Bay Monster Two
3rd Place: #1 - the riders on the boat were all holding up signs (photo below)

I definitely had a fun time at this parade and hope to be a part of it next year with my boat.

For more information on the boat parade, contact the Colonial Yacht Club online. Here's a picture of their entry:

Past Boat Parade Details

2021

Theme for 2016: "Rollin' On The River"

Grand Marshal: Bernard "Rocky" Denson of Denson's Grocery

June 15, 2008 Boat Parade Results:
Personal Watercraft:
1st - Suzy Lester
2nd – Haywood Rich
Fiberglass:
1st – Freddy & Suzy Lester
2nd –Seabounder (Jack & Kathy Grasmeder)
3rd – Reality (Tom Bowles)
Wood:
1st – Freedom Won (Rich Scott)
2nd –Scott Prudhoe
Runabout:
1st – Rubber Ducky (Lynn Speight)
2nd – Chris & Deb Ingram
3rd – Her Jobsite (Jeff & Anne Lee)
Workboat:
1st – Privateer (Haywood Rich)
2nd – Miss Michelle (Dave & Michelle Johnson)
3rd – Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Boat
Sailboat:
1st – Hawk (Andrew Ball)
2nd – Tokkels (Tokkie Lottering)
Best Decorated:
1st – Irish Wake (Chris & Lynn Kelliher)
2nd – Route Canal II (Woody & Lynda Johnson)
3rd – Rubber Ducky (Lynn Speight)
Judges Award: Honu Kai (Bill Strauss)

June 10, 2007 Boat Parade Results:
Personal Watercraft sponsored by Wilkerson's Restaurant
1st place: #104 "Pirates of Monroe Cove" owned by Ruth Lovelace and Jean Yeagley
Best Fiberglass sponsored by Rankin's Hardware
1st place: #13 "Dream Catcher" owned by Nina Young
2nd place: #3 "Seabounder" owned by Jack and Kathie Grasmeder
3rd place: #4 "Sundog" owned by Kyle and Relda Schick
Best Runabouts sponsored by Hall's Market
1st place: #37 "Nautic Star" owned by Matt and Shannon Jernigan
2nd place: #86 Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad
Best Work Boat sponsored by Ledo's Pizza
1st place : #51 "Provider" owned by Robin Estaves and Belinda Caperton
2nd place: #52 "Miss Michelle" owned by Dave and Michelle Johnson
3rd place: #54 "Prop Wash" owned by David Wright
Best Sail Boat sponsored by Happy Clam Restaurant
1st place: #57 "Wendy Hawk" owned by Andrew Ball
Best Decorated sponsored by Colonial Beach Real Estate
1st place: #9 "Irish Wake" owned by Chris and Lynn Kelliher
2nd place: #8 "Hooked Up" owned by Rich Scott
3rd place: #18 "Lady and the Tramp" owned by Eddie Barker
Judges Award sponsored by Colonial Beach Yacht Center
#51 "Provider" owned by Robin Estaves and Brenda Caperton

Read about the Lighted Boat Parade in December

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