WELLINGTON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Wellington is getting ready to “Light up the Lake” again this year, as the village’s Holiday Boat Parade returns to Lake Wellington on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The free event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with boats expected to pass behind the Wellington Community Center at around 6:30 p.m., according to the Village of Wellington’s event listing.
The parade is visible from the Town Center Promenade, which sits directly behind the community center at 12150 Forest Hill Boulevard. That’s where most of the crowd usually gathers, lawn chairs and blankets spread along the waterfront as the first boats start to come into view.
Village officials say approximately 40 festively decorated boats are expected to cruise the lake this year, with local residents and boating enthusiasts taking part in the annual tradition. The boats will circle Lake Wellington and make their way past the community center, giving spectators several chances to catch the lights and decorations as they glide by.
Guests are encouraged to bring their own seating. The promenade offers a wide, open view over the water, and families typically start staking out spots before sunset to get a clear look at the boats as they pass behind the community center.
Food trucks will be set up near the promenade for those who want to grab something to eat before or during the parade. The 2025 lineup includes Food Madness, Heavenly Churros, The Hibachi Wagon, and TropiBreeze, though the village notes that the truck list is subject to change.
The Holiday Boat Parade has become a regular December stop for many Wellington families. In 2023, the event also drew crowds to the Town Center Promenade as decorated boats “lit up” Lake Wellington, with food trucks on site from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the parade again passing behind the community center around 6:30 p.m.
This year’s event keeps the same basic format: free admission, lakefront viewing, and a focus on local participation. Residents and boat owners who want to join the parade on the water are asked to contact organizer Jack Brownson. See event website for more details.
For those who want a preview of what to expect, the village is pointing people to highlights from last year’s event. Holiday Boat Parade 2024 video clips are available on YouTube, and a photo album from past parades is posted on Flickr, showing crowds along the railings, boats wrapped in lights, and families posing in holiday-themed outfits on the promenade.
Parking is available in the Town Center area, and the waterfront path behind the community center typically fills with a mix of families, couples, and groups of friends looking for a lower-key holiday outing compared with the larger coastal parades. Many bring folding chairs, small coolers, and sweaters or light jackets in case the evening breeze off the lake picks up.
All events, dates, and times are subject to change, but as of now the Holiday Boat Parade is scheduled to step off from Lake Wellington on Saturday, Dec. 13, with the main viewing window behind the community center starting around 6:30 p.m.
Source: Village of Wellington Holiday Boat Parade event page.
More boat parades in our area: Holiday Boat Parades Continue This Week — Boca Remains on Shore
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