Holiday Boat Parade canceled due to poor weather conditions
The annual holiday boat parade on the Manatee River has been canceled due to poor weather conditions.
Tabatha Davis, Director of Marketing for Pier 22, announced the cancellation in a press release Saturday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory until 10 p.m., the result of a strong cold front that moved through Manatee County overnight Friday and into Saturday morning.
“We apologize for any inconvenience but must consider the safety of the captains and crew,” parade organizer Cynthia Belfatto said in the press release. “We thank the public for understanding, and we look forward to making next year’s parade even bigger and better.”
According to an email from Davis, Pier 22 has also canceled the buffet on the terrace. Those with reservations for the VIP viewing party and buffet will not be charged. For more information, call (941) 748-8087.
The cancellation mimics events in Sarasota, St. Pete Beach and South Pasadena, all of which decided to cancel their scheduled boat parades due to the weather. None of the parades will be rescheduled.
Ryan Callihan: 941-745-7095, @RCCallihan
This story was originally published December 9, 2017 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Holiday Boat Parade canceled due to poor weather conditions."