THIRD ANNUAL KEOKA LAKE LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

Third Annual Keoka Lake Lighted Boat Parade

Saturday, August 3, 2024, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Jointly sponsored by Keoka Beach Campground (KBC) and Keoka Lake Association (KLA)

 

Please join us for the Third Annual Keoka Lake Lighted Boat Parade as a boater or spectator in this celebration of lights, meant to bring joy to everyone on Keoka Lake! For safety’s sake, this year the parade is taking place before sunset because so many boats heading different directions on this little lake after dark last year was concerning.  There will be activities at the Town Beach before the parade and a party with a live band at Keoka Beach Campground after the parade.

 

Details

• Eligibility.  Anyone who has a boat on Keoka or can put one in is welcome to participate. (Boat owners from other lakes should check their boats and remove any plant material before putting in).

• It’s a parade!  All the boats will gather, form up in a parade, and circumnavigate Keoka on a counterclockwise course. If you are not on a boat, please come out to the shore and enjoy the show.

• Decorate and light your boat.  It’s a Lighted Boat Parade! Be creative, google boat parade ideas. Go with whatever theme you like (Margaritaville, Gilligan’s Island, Toy Story, Disco 70s, Christmas, Halloween, etc.) Boat Parade Decorating Tips.

• Decorate and light your dock!  Yes, it’s a Lighted Boat Parade, but last year two docks decorated for us boaters so we are now creating a new prize-eligible category! Light those docks and be creative! Go with whatever theme you like - Apply the Boat Parade Decorating Tips to your dock!

• Do I have to decorate?  No. If you prefer to parade with just your running lights, we would love to have you, but you won’t be eligible for the prizes.

• Prizes.  Prizes are generously donated by KBC and KLA in the form of gas at the Keoka Beach gas dock and/or items from The Store at KBC:

First Place: $150 in gas

Second Place: $100 in gas

Third place: $50 in gas

Best Non-Powered Craft: $25 in food, beverage, or merchandise at The Store at KBC 

Best Dock: $75 in gas, food, beverage, or merchandise at The Store at KBC

(Electric boat/sail boat/other non-power vessel awarded a prize will receive equal cash value in food, beverage, or merchandise at The Store at KBC.)

 

Winners will be announced at the end of the event and posted by KBC on the Keoka Seasonal Facebook page and by KLA on the keokalake.org website. Prizes will be on file at The Store Keoka Beach Campground for your convenient use.

 

Parade Logistics

• Gathering Point:  Meet at the Town Beach (see course map).  Arrive between 6:45 pm and 7.00 pm.

• Start:  The parade will start around the lake when everyone has lined up. Lead boat will announce the start at approximately 7:00 pm. Sunset is at 8:02 pm. The entire parade will be before sunset.

• Registration:  Please follow the registration link to sign up. Everyone is welcome to participate but only registered boats will be eligible for the prizes.

• Display your Number:   Once your registration is received, you will be assigned a number. Display your number on the STARBOARD side, midship, for the judges. Your number does not have to be incorporated into your design but should be easily seen by the judges.  Please note this number is for judging reference only and does not apply to your place in line during the parade.

• Judging Station:  Judges will be on the KBC gas dock. Judges will be from KBC and KLA.

• Judging:  Decisions will be based on best theme, lighting, costume of crew and audio/music. So be creative.  Last year there were some spectacular entries, this year should be amazing.

• Dock Judging:  This will be a vote from any boater who returns to the main beach at Keoka Beach Campground after the parade.

• The Course:  (following behind the lead boat) is counterclockwise. See the course map.  We start at the Town Beach and head east past KBC, up around Rocky Point into Stone’s Cove, north up to Starbird Point, and west to the Town Beach/Boat Landing.  From there we head south, past Kokosing, to Stan’s Boathouse and back to the campground, which is our ending point. The goal is that the last boat reaches the campground by 8:00 pm.

• Post-Parade Rendezvous:  Keoka Beach Campground has offered to have a post parade celebration. The swim area ropes will be removed for beach parking access along with parking at the KBC Gas Dock. This year we will have a band! D-No & the Full Send will perform. They are a local band from the Sunday River area. Once there, boaters will vote for best dock, then all winners will be announced with music and celebration. 

• Cancellation: If cancelled, the announcement of cancellation will be posted on the KBC Keoka Seasonal Facebook page and on the KLA keokalake.org website.  There is no rain date for this event.

 

Safety Requirements

• All participants should comply with inland waterways Rules of the Road.

• Necessary navigation lighting requirements and safety precautions are recommended.Headway speed during parade:  approximately 5-7 knots.

• Stay in the parade line. Do not weave. Maintain safe distance from other vessels.

• Be aware of extremely shallow waters close to shore and random rock outcroppings in some parts of the lake. If you are not familiar with an area, stay well offshore and follow the lead boat.

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We will have lighted markers at various swim platforms around the lake. Please keep those swim platforms between you and the shore.  Several boats anchored with their running lights will be in areas that may be of concern to boaters less familiar with operating on the lake at night.

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Disabled Vessels & Emergencies:

If you have a problem and must leave the parade, turn off your decorating lights and pull out of the parade line.

If decorating lights fail, you can pull out of the parade line and re-enter when fixed.

Questions?  Email wrobichaud56@gmail.com