Boat Parade Night on Delray's Intracoastal: When the Bridges Go Up and Where to Watch

At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, December 11, the lighted boats will pull away from the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Lantana, near Old Key Lime House, and start south. The boats travel through Boynton Beach before they reach Delray. The City of Delray Beach doesn't expect the parade at its northernmost bridge, George Bush Boulevard, until about 7:45. The Delray part of the evening comes late and goes by quickly, and it happens while the Intracoastal bridges are held in the upright position.

If you live along the water between George Bush and Linton, or across the water on the beach side, those bridges decide how your evening goes. The details below are the ones that matter for that part of the route.

How the Night Runs, Start to Finish

The parade is hosted by the City of Boynton Beach with the Town of Hypoluxo, the Town of Lantana and the City of Delray Beach as partners. Boynton holds it every year on the second Friday of December. This is the timeline published by the cities, start to finish:

1. 6:00 p.m. The event window opens at Boynton Harbor Marina, 735 Casa Loma Boulevard, and runs until 9:00.
2. 6:30 p.m. Boats leave the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Lantana heading south.
3. About 7:45 p.m. George Bush Boulevard bridge in Delray.
4. About 8:00 p.m. Atlantic Avenue bridge.
5. About 8:15 p.m. Linton Boulevard bridge.
6. Finish. The parade ends at the C-15 Canal, just south of Linton Boulevard.

The whole Delray section, from the first bridge to the last, is expected to take about 30 minutes. Before it starts, the boats will have been underway for roughly an hour and a quarter. Watching from Boynton Harbor Marina gets you the boats earlier in the evening. Watching in Delray gets you the final stretch, when the boats are close to the finish.

Three Bridges, About Thirty Minutes

The city's parade page says the bridges will be "held in the upright position" while the parade passes under them, to keep motorists and pedestrians safe.

The city also says it is "very difficult to provide an exact time that the bridges will be unavailable for crossing," and that the times are estimates based on data from previous years. The table works best as a rough guide with some cushion built in.

All three of Delray's main crossings are scheduled within about half an hour of each other. If you live on the beach side and have a 7:30 dinner reservation west of the Intracoastal, or you're expecting guests from the mainland around 8:00, you may run into the holds. Crossing early and staying put through the parade will usually be easier than trying to cross while the boats are going by.

Where to Watch in Delray

The City of Delray Beach lists three viewing spots, plus one in Boynton for people who want to see the boats earlier:

• Deck 84, 840 E. Atlantic Ave.
• Veterans Park, 802 NE 1st St.
• Knowles Park, 1001 S. Federal Hwy.
• Boynton Harbor Marina, 735 Casa Loma Blvd., Boynton Beach.

The Downtown Delray Beach parade page describes Veterans Park as a public waterfront park near the Atlantic Avenue bridge, and Deck 84 as a spot with waterfront views right on the Intracoastal. Both are close to the 8:00 Atlantic Avenue hold, which is the middle of Delray's half hour. That page also says restaurant seating and parking may be limited. It suggests arriving early and checking with restaurants about reservations and parade viewing, and it adds that viewing conditions and bridge closures may vary.

Bring something for the toy drive. Delray's listing encourages spectators to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the annual Toys for Tots collection.

Watching From Your Own Dock

The official route runs south along the Intracoastal all the way to the C-15 Canal. Any home with Intracoastal frontage between the George Bush bridge and that canal is on the route. If you have a dock, the boats will come past without you having to drive anywhere. You won't need a parking space or have to worry about a bridge hold.

You can estimate your own timing from the bridge times. Homes near George Bush Boulevard will see the first boats around 7:45. Homes near Atlantic Avenue will see them around 8:00. Homes between Linton and the C-15 Canal are on the last part of the route, sometime after 8:15. If you're having friends over, you can plan dinner around those times, and remind anyone coming from across the water to arrive before the holds start.

Putting Your Own Boat in the Parade

If you have a boat at your dock, you can also join the parade. Boynton Beach handles registration for every town on the route through its 2026 Holiday Boat Parade page on Eventeny, and the rules are short.

What entry requires

• Cost. Entry is free.
• Decorations. Boats must be decorated and lighted. Spotlights are not allowed.
• Deadline. The sign-up closes December 4, 2026.
• Captains' meeting. Skippers and mates must attend a mandatory meeting on Wednesday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m. at Ford's Garage. The Boynton Beach Police Department Marine Unit shares safety information at the meeting.
• A toy. Each participant must bring a new, unwrapped toy to the captains' meeting. The toys go to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

What happens after

Prizes go to first, second and third place in three size categories: under 25 feet, 25 to 34 feet, and 35 feet and up. A boat has to finish the parade to be eligible for a prize. The awards dinner is Wednesday, December 16, at 6:30 p.m. at Ford's Garage. Every participant is invited, and an RSVP is required.

Every entry starts in Lantana at 6:30. If you keep your boat in Delray, you'll need to run north to the Ocean Avenue Bridge before the start and then come back south with the parade. That's worth planning for when you think about fuel, crew and how long you'll be on the water that night.

Ten Days Earlier, the Tree on Atlantic

Delray's December events start before the boats do. The City of Delray Beach's 100-foot Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration and Yuletide Street Fair is Tuesday, December 1, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Old School Square. The city lists vendors, food, performances and crafts, with Santa lighting the tree. The Downtown Development Authority, the City of Delray Beach and Delray Beach Parks and Recreation are among the sponsors.

The tree lighting at Old School Square and the parade at the Atlantic Avenue bridge both happen on Atlantic Avenue, ten days apart. For people on the water side of town, though, the evening that needs more planning is December 11, because of the half hour when the bridges are up.

If you're thinking about watching the parade from your own dock and want to talk through life on Delray's Intracoastal, including what waterfront living looks like on nights like this one, A+ Realtor is happy to help. Whether you're looking for a place where the boats pass right by or you're getting ready to sell one, I'll walk you through each step. Find Your Dream Home, and I'll Get It Sold.