15 decorated boats fight for $300 prize in parade

Parade floats around Bayou Gauche on Dec. 1

December 01, 2012 at 8:00 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

The holiday-themed flotilla is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in its earliest start ever.

"It will be the first Saturday of December from now on," event organizer Yvette Dunn said. "We find that we have the most participation because we aren’t running into family Christmas parties."

Parade-goers will stand on the shore as a group of decorated boats makes its way from the Bayou Gauche pump station to Fisherman’s Wharf, where winner’s for best decorations will be named.

The first place winner will receive $300, second place will get $200 and third place will receive $100.

Dunn said she expects 15 boats to participate in the parade this year and that anyone who is interested in joining in the parade and decoration competition can do so at no cost.

"It’s definitely for people to participate. People think there is a charge, but there is no fee," Dunn said.

Judges for the competition are brought in from outside the community to ensure impartiality.

"The judges are not from here," Dunn said. "Ms. Thelma, she lives on the island and she brings people in from elsewhere. I don’t even know who they are."

Dunn said she raises the money for the prizes by doing a football pool and that she and her husband pay for the fireworks themselves.

She said the parade is a lot of fun for the boaters and all involved.

"They enjoy it and kids that are older they are also getting involved. The people on the island enjoy it, they really do," Dunn said.

Anyone wishing to enter a boat into the parade can call Dunn at (504) 495-8491 or just show up by 5:30 p.m. on parade night.