The 55th Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 12. It leaves Stranahan House, heads east on the New River, turns north on the Intracoastal and finishes at Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. Organizers put the route at 12 miles and say the full parade takes about two and a half hours to pass any one spot.
Because the parade covers so much water over so many hours, the city does not shut down all at once. Bridges close one after another as the boats move north. Each crossing has its own window, and the windows get longer and later the farther north you go. On December 12, which bridges sit between your house and your dinner reservation matters more than where you plan to watch.
The Water Closes Hours Before the Roads Do
Boat owners lose access first. Winterfest's posted schedule closes the New River to non-parade vessels at 2:30 p.m. That covers the fork near Little Florida, west of Cooley's Landing, east to Marker 9. The Intracoastal closes in two stages. The stretch from Port Everglades to the south side of the Oakland Park Bridge closes at 4:50 p.m., and the stretch north of Oakland Park to Lake Santa Barbara follows at 5:50 p.m.
If your boat is tied up behind your house on a canal off the Intracoastal, an evening cruise has to end before those times. If you head out after them, you won't get far. Staging starts on the New River from west of Stranahan House to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and a pre-show of non-motorized vessels starts at 5:30 p.m. Canal-front owners who want more background on how bridges affect boating here can read our guide to what "no fixed bridges" means in Fort Lauderdale.
The Bridge Schedule, South to North
Here is Winterfest's published list of approximate vehicle closures for parade night:
| Bridge | Closes to cars | Reopens | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Avenue | On demand | On demand | Varies |
| FEC Railroad | 5:30 p.m. | 7:20 p.m. | About 1 hr 50 min |
| Andrews Avenue | 5:30 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 2 hr 30 min |
| Third Avenue | 5:30 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 2 hr 30 min |
| Las Olas Boulevard | 6:30 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 2 hr |
| Sunrise Boulevard | 7:00 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 2 hr |
| Oakland Park Boulevard | 7:30 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 2 hr |
| Commercial Boulevard | 8:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. | 3 hr |
The table shows a pattern. Near downtown, the FEC Railroad, Andrews Avenue and Third Avenue bridges all close at 5:30 p.m., before the parade has even started, while the 7th Avenue bridge runs on demand. Once the boats reach the Intracoastal, closures move north in half-hour steps. Las Olas, Sunrise and Oakland Park each close for two hours. Commercial Boulevard is the last bridge on the list and has the longest window, three hours, ending at 11 p.m. If you live near Commercial and plan to cross the Intracoastal that evening, you have the latest cutoff and the longest wait.
The FEC Railroad times carry a caveat. Winterfest says its Coast Guard permit lists the train bridge opening to parade traffic at 6:30 p.m., and that Brightline and FEC are working with organizers on an earlier time for staging. Organizers call all of the times approximate.
Before and after the parade, the usual drawbridge schedules apply. Las Olas and Oakland Park open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter-hour. Sunrise and the SE 17th Street Causeway open on the hour and half-hour. Commercial opens on the hour, 20 minutes past and 40 minutes past. The 7th Avenue, Andrews Avenue and Third Avenue bridges on the New River open on demand.
Las Olas Runs on Its Own Clock
The closure that affects the most people is at the Las Olas bridge, because the official viewing area sits right next to it. Winterfest's ticketed area is at Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park, 80 Las Olas Circle. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the parade is expected there around 6:30 p.m. Organizers say the Las Olas bridge will be locked open during the parade, and they advise ticket holders to be on the east side of the bridge by 6 p.m. The bridge closes to cars at 6:30 p.m., so the 6 p.m. advice leaves about a half hour of margin. Anyone coming from the mainland should plan around 6 p.m., not 6:30.
Parking is the other limit. Winterfest says the Las Olas Parking Garage at 200 Las Olas Circle is next to the viewing area, warns that parade-night parking will be very limited, and recommends rideshare. The City's event agreement shows how much of the area the event uses that day. It lists a Las Olas Circle road closure around the park from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and parking-space closures from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on December 12.
Ticket tiers on Winterfest's site:
- $40 general admission, with a folding chair
- $30 for children 12 and under
- Free for children 3 and under, general admission only
- $60 reserved area, with priority seating
- $80 reserved assigned bleacher seating
Checkout costs more than these listed prices. On the EventHub ticket page, an adult ticket came to $43.80 and a child ticket to $33.18 with fees, and a Preferred Viewing Area ticket showed at $65.04. Check the final total before you buy.
The Footprint Downtown Is Larger Than It Looks
The City's event agreement covers more than the park. It lists the New River, the Intracoastal Waterway, Tunnel Top Park, Laura Ward Plaza, the Riverwalk from Salt 7 east to the Riverside Hotel, and Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park. The gathering at Laura Ward Plaza is an invitation-only VIP viewing party for sponsors. For that event, the City lists SE 4th Street between SE 6th Avenue and the west side of SE 8th Avenue as closed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., along with the parking there.
If you live or park near the Broward Center end of downtown, the street closure matters more to your day than the bridges do. It starts in the morning, well before any boats are on the water.
Other Places to Watch
The City lists the parade as free to watch along its 12 miles. Winterfest's Ways to Watch page also mentions bridges, The Riverside Hotel and other spots along the route. It points to its hotel and restaurant directory, filtered by "On Parade Route," for more options.
Two places on the route have already posted 2026 plans:
- The Riverside Hotel, 620 E Las Olas Blvd., has its Boat Parade Party 2026 listed for December 12 at 5 p.m., with tickets from $45.36. The hotel's site describes the party as offering waterfront views, festive food, premium open bars and live entertainment.
- Kaluz has posted Winterfest reservations for December 12, 2026. It takes bookings by email at [email protected] and has not posted a menu or price.
If you'd rather stay home, Winterfest says WSVN 7 will air a Winterfest television special. Air times are subject to change.
Why This Year's Parade Carries More
The 2026 theme is "Party in the U.S.A." In a May 15, 2026 release, Winterfest announced that the parade will be the official finale of the City of Fort Lauderdale's yearlong America 250 celebration. In the same Winterfest release, Mayor Dean Trantalis said:
"This year's event will be even more special as it caps the yearlong celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary. I look forward to one of the most spectacular Boat Parades ever."
The country duo LOCASH, Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, are the 2026 Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal Showboat is presented by Fifth Third Bank. Last year's parade moved its start to 6 p.m., and the 2026 schedule keeps that time. Nothing published so far points to a route change.
Three Weeks of Lead-Up Events
The parade is the last of several Winterfest events, and the earlier ones are much easier to get to:
- Sunday, November 22: Family Fun Day at Esplanade Park, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free family activities and free boat rides from Water Taxi.
- Saturday, December 5: The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Black Tie Ball at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, 6 p.m. to midnight. The theme is "Adorned in the USA," with a 16-piece Manhattan orchestra from Jordan Kahn Music Company.
- Friday, December 11: The Grand Marshal Reception honoring LOCASH.
A different parade may share that Friday on the northern stretch of the same route. The City of Pompano Beach's events page lists the 64th Annual Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce Holiday Boat Parade on the Intracoastal for December 11, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It uses the same "A Party in the U.S.A." theme and expects more than 50 boats. Tickets cost $200 for the Chamber Boat Experience and $100 for a VIP viewing party at The Cove in Deerfield Beach, and the parade will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. The listing doesn't print a year, so confirm the date with the Chamber. If it holds, people who live along the northern Intracoastal will see decorated boats two nights in a row. Fort Lauderdale's second big week on the water follows the boat show, whose effect on traffic we covered in the one street the city actually closes for boat show week.
For a home on the parade route, a holiday evening runs on the bridge schedule above. Sellers with a dock on the Intracoastal or the New River know that view is worth something on December 12. Buyers comparing canal homes are often surprised by how much a bridge schedule shapes daily life. If you'd like to talk through either one with someone who follows Fort Lauderdale closely, The Simpkin Team is glad to help. Request a private consultation.
