The annual boat parade returns to the river this Saturday. (Photos courtesy of Max Walraven)
A holiday tradition on the water returns this weekend, and this year, the decorated vessels that make up the Richmond Boat Parade of Lights will be pulling into a new destination.
The annual flotilla, which sees participants decorate their boats with stringed lights and other holiday displays, returns to the river on Saturday, departing Rocketts Landing at 5 p.m. and ending at Kingsland Marina around 7 p.m.
Max Walraven
Dredging at Kingsland, home to the popular Lilly Pad restaurant, has reached depths enough to allow all the boats in this year’s parade to tie up at the venue at the end of the route, owner Max Walraven said.
Walraven, who organizes the parade with fellow boater Bryan Lewis, said the scenario is a first in the nearly 30 years the event has been held, because previous depths at the marina were too shallow for bigger boats.
“We are dredging the marina to depths that haven’t been seen in more than 50 years,” said Walraven, who owns two dredges and said he has spent over $100,000 on the effort. “It’ll attract bigger boats from Chesapeake and more recreational boating traffic and business.”
Past parades have gone as far as the Richmond Yacht Basin marina and Henricus Historical Park, but docking at Kingsland and The Lilly Pad will give boaters a place to tie up, display their decorations and take in the evening, said Lewis, a local real estate agent who’s organized the event for over a decade.
Bryan Lewis
“It used to go all the way down to Henricus park, and it was a long night,” Lewis said. “A lot of people come from pretty far away and really enjoy it, and it’s nice to finish up that way, as opposed to being out in the middle of the river.”
Laughing, Lewis added, “It used to be, ‘Well, have fun finding your way home in the dark.’”
While last year’s parade finished at Osborne Boat Landing, the public boat launch beside Kingsland Marina, Lewis said that was under different circumstances.
“Last year was a little bit of a fiasco weather-wise. We had a great start at Rocketts, but then we had some severe thunderstorms blow through about halfway down, and I think Henrico police evacuated everybody that was in the Osborne parking lot,” Lewis said. “Knock on wood, no bad weather this year.”
Past parades have involved the James River Advisory Council, a river caretaking group that includes representation from local governments, businesses and civic organizations. The last parade to involve the council was in 2019, but cancellations over the years due to weather or other factors prompted Lewis and Walraven to take on the event themselves.
“It’s always been a parade by the boaters for the people of Richmond. We returned it to that,” Walraven said. “No politics, no rules. Just regular people doing it for the holiday spirit and the people to see.”
JRAC’s website states the parade, which it’s called the James River Parade of Lights, is not being held this year but will be held next year. Kimberly Conley, JRAC’s executive director, was unable to be reached Thursday afternoon.
As many as 20 boats are expected in this year’s parade.
Walraven said the event has drawn sponsors and more boats, with as many as 20 expected this year. The event is also a fundraiser for local food bank Feed More, with canned goods drop-off points along the route and a percentage of sales at The Lilly Pad going to the nonprofit.
The event also recognizes boaters for best decorations. Lewis, a broker with Bryan Lewis Homes and Land, said participants’ enthusiasm is shown in the displays.
“The boaters are pretty diehard about it,” he said.
While the dredging at Kingsland is opening up the venue to the parade and bigger boats, Walraven said river traffic in general has been picking up at the marina with its boat rental and charter business. Launched earlier this year, the rentals saw 390 outings in the first five months of business, he said.
“The rental boat business knocked it out of the park this year,” he said. “We are expanding our fleet to include more boats, standup paddleboards and kayaks ready to rent right beside the restaurant.”
Earlier this year, the venue secured an updated permit with Henrico County that better reflects its footprint and various activities and events. The Lilly Pad, which Walraven owns with his wife Karen, brought in $2 million in business last year and employed more than 50 people.
Kingsland Marina and the dockside Lilly Pad restaurant.
The annual boat parade returns to the river this Saturday. (Photos courtesy of Max Walraven)
A holiday tradition on the water returns this weekend, and this year, the decorated vessels that make up the Richmond Boat Parade of Lights will be pulling into a new destination.
The annual flotilla, which sees participants decorate their boats with stringed lights and other holiday displays, returns to the river on Saturday, departing Rocketts Landing at 5 p.m. and ending at Kingsland Marina around 7 p.m.
Max Walraven
Dredging at Kingsland, home to the popular Lilly Pad restaurant, has reached depths enough to allow all the boats in this year’s parade to tie up at the venue at the end of the route, owner Max Walraven said.
Walraven, who organizes the parade with fellow boater Bryan Lewis, said the scenario is a first in the nearly 30 years the event has been held, because previous depths at the marina were too shallow for bigger boats.
“We are dredging the marina to depths that haven’t been seen in more than 50 years,” said Walraven, who owns two dredges and said he has spent over $100,000 on the effort. “It’ll attract bigger boats from Chesapeake and more recreational boating traffic and business.”
Past parades have gone as far as the Richmond Yacht Basin marina and Henricus Historical Park, but docking at Kingsland and The Lilly Pad will give boaters a place to tie up, display their decorations and take in the evening, said Lewis, a local real estate agent who’s organized the event for over a decade.
Bryan Lewis
“It used to go all the way down to Henricus park, and it was a long night,” Lewis said. “A lot of people come from pretty far away and really enjoy it, and it’s nice to finish up that way, as opposed to being out in the middle of the river.”
Laughing, Lewis added, “It used to be, ‘Well, have fun finding your way home in the dark.’”
While last year’s parade finished at Osborne Boat Landing, the public boat launch beside Kingsland Marina, Lewis said that was under different circumstances.
“Last year was a little bit of a fiasco weather-wise. We had a great start at Rocketts, but then we had some severe thunderstorms blow through about halfway down, and I think Henrico police evacuated everybody that was in the Osborne parking lot,” Lewis said. “Knock on wood, no bad weather this year.”
Past parades have involved the James River Advisory Council, a river caretaking group that includes representation from local governments, businesses and civic organizations. The last parade to involve the council was in 2019, but cancellations over the years due to weather or other factors prompted Lewis and Walraven to take on the event themselves.
“It’s always been a parade by the boaters for the people of Richmond. We returned it to that,” Walraven said. “No politics, no rules. Just regular people doing it for the holiday spirit and the people to see.”
JRAC’s website states the parade, which it’s called the James River Parade of Lights, is not being held this year but will be held next year. Kimberly Conley, JRAC’s executive director, was unable to be reached Thursday afternoon.
As many as 20 boats are expected in this year’s parade.
Walraven said the event has drawn sponsors and more boats, with as many as 20 expected this year. The event is also a fundraiser for local food bank Feed More, with canned goods drop-off points along the route and a percentage of sales at The Lilly Pad going to the nonprofit.
The event also recognizes boaters for best decorations. Lewis, a broker with Bryan Lewis Homes and Land, said participants’ enthusiasm is shown in the displays.
“The boaters are pretty diehard about it,” he said.
While the dredging at Kingsland is opening up the venue to the parade and bigger boats, Walraven said river traffic in general has been picking up at the marina with its boat rental and charter business. Launched earlier this year, the rentals saw 390 outings in the first five months of business, he said.
“The rental boat business knocked it out of the park this year,” he said. “We are expanding our fleet to include more boats, standup paddleboards and kayaks ready to rent right beside the restaurant.”
Earlier this year, the venue secured an updated permit with Henrico County that better reflects its footprint and various activities and events. The Lilly Pad, which Walraven owns with his wife Karen, brought in $2 million in business last year and employed more than 50 people.
Kingsland Marina and the dockside Lilly Pad restaurant.