# Tampa Riverwalk Holiday Lighted Boat Parade > Event for families in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater area (FL). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Sat, Dec 19 · 6:15 PM - Where: Tampa Riverwalk along the Hillsborough River (Sparkman Wharf to Armature Works), 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602 - Ages: All ages - Price: Free to watch from the Riverwalk; VIP ticket information to come - Organizer: Friends of the Riverwalk (Tampa Riverwalk) - Official page: https://thetampariverwalk.com/ - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 32 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/tampa/activities/tampa-riverwalk-holiday-lighted-boat-parade--listing-70b368aa6bd19d0b5d5d4ac3 ## About Tampa's largest lighted boat parade brings decorated vessels, large and small, up the Hillsborough River through downtown on a Saturday evening before Christmas. Boats set off at 6:15 PM near Sparkman Wharf, travel through the Convention Center basin and finish at Armature Works, so families can find a viewing spot anywhere along the Riverwalk between Channelside and Tampa Heights. Local TV personality Charley Belcher is the 2026 grand marshal. Watching from the Riverwalk is open to the public; boat registration and VIP ticket details were still to come when this was checked. Pair it with Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Park, which is on the parade route and open the same night with its ice rink and holiday shops. Bring a jacket for the waterfront and plan on crowds and limited downtown parking. ## Similar picks in Tampa - [Madeira Beach Festival of Lights Holiday Boat Parade (60th Annual)](https://grassyknees.com/tampa/activities/madeira-beach-festival-of-lights-holiday-boat-parade-60th-annual--listing-185959fab2e04a106aa321b7) — Sat, Dec 12 · 6:15 PM – 9:00 PM · ROC Park (parade start and main viewing area), Madeira Beach · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. 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