Decked out in lights and with their own holiday themes, the decorated boats of Bayou Gauche Island will be on parade at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The annual Christmas on the Bayou Parade will feature up to 15 floats, a number that planners hope will reach 30 this year, said Loretta Matherne, parade chairwoman.
“It doesn’t cost anything to be ride in the parade,” Matherne said. “All they have to do is decorate their boat and get in the lineup.”
This family-friendly event started in 2000 and the flotilla will festively light up Bayou Gauche Island for its 15th year this weekend. Participants throw beads to the families who gather along the route.
The floats are creative, elaborate and sometimes even animated, drawing participants from throughout St. Charles Parish and especially areas like Des Allemands and Paradis.
“You could have a little bitty bass boat, party barge, air boat, trawling boat and some put their house boat in it,” Matherne said of parade participants. “You have all kinds of categories of boats.”
Those who participate are asked to arrive at 5:30 p.m. to line up at the Bayou Gauche pump station on Bayou Gauche and go past the Fisherman’s Wharf to get a number for judging. To know who won, participants must return to Fisherman’s Wharf after the parade where the winners will be announced.
Fireworks will be fired to set the flotilla in motion down the bayou and again when the boats have made their way to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Best-decorated floats can win cash prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners. A mystery gift box with all kinds of Christmas lights and decorations also will be given.
“Everybody just gets in there,” Matherne said. “Whatever boat they have, they decorate it and put in the parade.”
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