Launching in 1971, the Winterfest Boat Parade has navigated Fort Lauderdale’s waterways for the past 50 years bringing holiday cheer to millions of viewers by land and by sea!
Timeline
Winterfest Builds a Timeline
As a living document and a virtual home for our 50+ years of history. Add your Winterfest Memory here.
2021
Parade Theme: 50 Years of Hard Rockin’ Fun… Winterfest 2021
Grand Marshal:
Celebrity: Captain Lee (Bravo’s Below Deck)
Commodore: Shane Strum
Jr. Captain of the Parade:
Child Warrior Ambassador: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Belle of the Ball: Renee Korbel Quinn
Poster Artist: Charles Fazzino
Ornament Designer: Pat Anderson
Continue reading2020
Winterfest Flashback to 2020
2020 brought the virtual world into primary focus for Winterfest events. During the pandemic, Story time with Santa, Letter for Santa, DIY Videos on cocktails, ornaments, baking and more became the highlights with the theme “Home for the Holidays.”
Winterfest spread the holiday cheer with a decorated vessel which traveled throughout Fort Lauderdale, decorating contests and “enter to win” opportunities.
Santa took a vacation prior to the holiday in Greater Fort Lauderdale with Winterfest and Visit Lauderdale able to capture all the excitement on video.
WSVN created a television recap of the “Best Show on H2O” with historic video and current highlights such as the Winterfest Foundation Jr. Captain, poster unveil and the Winterfest elves visiting hospitals in the area.
Parade Theme: Home for the Holidays
Virtual Parade with a television show (because of the pandemic)
Celebrity: Captain Lee (Bravo’s Below Deck)
Jr. Captain of the Parade: Dantonio Frazier Jr.
Poster Artist: Nick Scalzo
Ornament Designer: Pat Anderson
Boat Parade Chairman: Mark Swenson
Parade Enhancement: Britt Lanier
Chairman of the Board: Susan Renneisen
President/CEO: Lisa Scott-Founds
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
Winterfest is named Top Three of 100 events in South Florida by BizBash.
Winterfest Goes Virtual
In 2020, with everyone “Home For The Holidays,” WSVN creates a television recap of the “Best Show on H2O” with historic video and current highlights.
Poster Artist Nick Scalzo
If a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s four: “Home for the Holidays.” Nick Scalzo designs the poster for Winterfest 2020.
Winterfest Named Top Three
The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade is named Top Three of 100 events in South Florida by BizBash.
2019
Winterfest Flashback to 2019
2019 marked the Parade’s 48th year with Brett Michaels as Grand Marshal. Bill Walker from Water Taxi was honored as Commodore and Robyn Vines from Gray Robinson PA as Belle of the Ball.
The Parade and White Party had a flare of the Bahamas with Bahamas Tourism and Bahamas Paradise.
Emma Sorensen representing Make A Wish graced the Parade as the Jr. Captain with FPL and the Winterfest Foundation.
Child Warrior Ambassador, Braulio Hernandez, represented Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Brooke Trace was the Poster Artist.
Winterfest was voted #3 in the Top 10 winners in the category Best Holiday Parade by USAToday.
Parade Theme: Lights, Camera, Action… Movies on Parade
Grand Marshal: Bret Michaels
Celebrity: Captain Lee (Bravo’s Below Deck)
Commodore: Bill Walker
Jr. Captain of the Parade: Emma Sorensen
Child Warrior Ambassador: Braulio Hernandez Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Belle of the Ball: Robyn Vines
Poster Artist: Brooke Trace
Ornament Designer: Pat Anderson
Boat Parade Chairman: Mark Swenson
Parade Enhancement: Britt Lanier
Events: Wendy Liebowitz
Future Vision: Ben Wesley
Sponsorship: Rob Kornahrens
Marketing & Communications: Kim Butler and Greg Snowden
White Party Chair: Alyssa Lovitt
Volunteer Party Chair: Alice Harry
President/CEO: Lisa Scott-Founds
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
Grand Marshal: Bret Michaels
From Poison, to The Celebrity Apprentice, to his charitable work, Grand Marshal Bret Michaels is more than a rockstar. But when the curtain went up on the 2019 parade he delivered Nothing But A Good Time.