Downtown Bradenton celebrates Christmas by land and sea

Whether you prefer your Christmas festivities on dry land or on the water, downtown Bradenton has something for you on Saturday.

A couple of the area’s favorite annual Christmas celebrations will be going on at the same time Saturday evening. They’re both free and they’re close enough to each other that you don’t even have to choose which one to attend.

The Manatee River Holiday Boat Parade has long been a staple of downtown Bradenton’s Christmas. Boat owners from around the area decorate their boats with lights and take a spectacular cruise down the river. The boat captains, besides showing off their boats and their decorating skills, compete for cash prizes. Spectators just get a free show in a family-friendly holiday atmosphere.

The boat parade gets going at 6:30 p.m. If you get downtown a little early, you can make a quick stop first at Sounds of the Season, the annual Christmas celebration on Old Main Street sponsored by Realize Bradenton. Sounds of the Season keeps going until 10 p.m., so you can go after the boat parade, too.

Sounds of the Season is also a family-oriented event, and features an outdoor movie screening and music from Palmetto’s Del Couch Music Education Foundation.

Details: Boat Parade, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10, locations along the Manatee River in downtown Bradenton. Free. 941-721-3800, facebook.com/holidayboatparade. Sounds of the Season, 6-10 p.m. Dec. 10, Old Main Street, Bradenton. Free. 941-621-6471, realizebradenton.com.

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Downtown Bradenton celebrates Christmas by land and sea."