# Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights > Event for families in the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria area (DC / VA / MD / WV). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Sat, Dec 5 · 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM - Where: Old Town Alexandria Waterfront & Waterfront Park, 1 Prince St, Alexandria, VA 22314 - Ages: All ages (free waterfront viewing; paved park paths and boardwalks accommodate strollers) - Price: Free admission (free public waterfront park; no tickets required). - Organizer: Visit Alexandria & City of Alexandria - Official page: https://visitalexandria.com/holidays/boat-parade/ - Last checked: Sat, Nov 7 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 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), 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/washington-dc/activities/alexandria-holiday-boat-parade-of-lights--listing-c13524183b464975d4c594f5 ## About Taking place on the same festive Saturday as the Scottish Walk Parade, the 26th Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights illuminates the Potomac River with dozens of dazzling decorated watercraft. Powerboats, sailboats, tugboats, and Alexandria's tall ship Providence cruise along a one-mile stretch of the Old Town waterfront, adorned with thousands of vibrant LEDs, towering illuminated holiday characters, and crews dressed in festive elf and Santa costumes. Dockside festivities at Waterfront Park begin at 2:00 PM, featuring family activities including holiday craft-making stations, letters to Santa, live holiday jazz and choral ensembles, and hot cocoa bars alongside local food trucks. Paved riverfront paths and viewing boardwalks make navigating with strollers effortless. Spectators are encouraged to dress warmly in layers and take the Metrorail to King Street-Old Town Station, taking advantage of the free King Street Trolley down to the river to bypass vehicle congestion. ## Similar picks in Washington, DC - [Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/alexandria-scottish-christmas-walk-parade--listing-56750dea9359201cb1149726) — Sat, Dec 5 · 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM · Historic Old Town Alexandria · All ages · Free · checked Nov 4. 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