Wilmington and North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast are famous for their holiday flotilla’s — lighted boat parades that capture the region’s nautical essence. There’s the Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach and the Island of Lights Holiday Flotilla in Carolina Beach. What’s more, you can enjoy everyone’s annual favorite, Enchanted Airlie in Wilmington.
This is the stuff great holiday memories are made of. These spectacular nighttime holiday flotillas are very popular, with thousands of cheering visitors enjoying the spectacle of sailing vessels of all shapes and sizes from rowboats to yachts. Here’s what is in the offing this year:
North Carolina Holiday Flotilla (Wrightsville Beach)
Celebrating its 26th year, the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla — a 2008 Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event — is an annual tradition that kicks off the holiday season the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 29) in Wrightsville Beach. The full day of entertainment begins with a free Festival in the Park from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. featuring arts & crafts, kids’ activities, amusements, food, open-air bazaar, and live entertainment at Wrightsville Beach Park. Celebrity guests Trot Nixon (pro baseball player), Miss North Carolina, Mrs. North Carolina, and Miss Outstanding N.C. Teen will be on hand from 1:00 until 3:00pm. Then, at 6:00 p.m. the main event—the flotilla—gets underway with a lighted boat procession and fireworks folly along Banks Channel (Wrightsville Beach). To jump-start the weekend, the Town of Wrightsville Beach will host a Tree Lighting Ceremony and visits with Santa (free admission) on Friday, November 28 at 5:45pm at Town Hall, followed by a Flotilla Holiday Party at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort (party tickets available at the door for $35 per person). Boaters entering he flotilla have a chance to win cash prizes and a trip to Costa Rica.
Island of Lights Holiday Flotilla (Carolina Beach)
On the first Saturday in December (December 6), the Island of Lights Holiday Flotilla features lighted fishing boats and pleasure crafts in a spectacular display along the Intracoastal Waterway. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., the parade of boats cruises from Snows Cut to Carolina Beach Boat Basin and back. The best viewing station is at Carolina Beach Boat Basin. Visitors who arrive a day early will enjoy the annual Island of Lights Nighttime Holiday Parade on Friday evening, December 5. Santa’s official arrival in Carolina Beach is preceded by an elaborate procession of electrical floats, marching bands, queens, clowns, and more. The Friday night parade begins at 7:30 p.m. along Lake Park Blvd. from Atlantic Avenue to Federal Point Shopping Center.
4th Annual “Enchanted Airlie”
This is my favorite. What could be more enchanting than a magnificent wrought iron gate that opens to reveal a glittering landscape of lighted oaks and twinkling displays in a post-Victorian garden setting? Each Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from November 28 through December 20, Airlie Gardens presents “Enchanted Airlie,” a holiday event that features magical evenings of illumination and wonderment. Now in its fourth year, “Enchanted Airlie” transforms the venerable gardens into a visually stunning wonderland of theatrically illuminated large oaks, small native trees, and elegant displays. Outdoor garden trains include an impressive “G” gauge set. Leisurely nighttime strolls through 30 acres of tastefully decorated gardens are enhanced by strolling carolers and musicians in a delightful outdoor setting.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, will not be sold at the gate, so plan ahead and purchase tickets early. Tickets may be secured in advance online at www.airliegardens.org or via phone by calling 910-798-7700. Airlie Gardens, located at 300 Airlie Road, is a 67-acre historic public garden bordering Bradley Creek in Wilmington, North Carolina.
By the way, more than 40 holiday activities celebrate the season in Wilmington & North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast. You can download a Holiday Events brochure by visiting the website www.gocapefearcoast.com.