WINTERFEST goes national with Boat Parade Grand Marshal Willard Scott, famed meteorologist of NBC’s Today Show.
Poster Artist: Don Eighnie
Boat Parade Chairman: Dick Burkle
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
“Winterfest Beach Ball” is added as an event and, with musical guests Spyro Gyra, draws a crowd of 100,000.
The Winterfest Beach Ball, a free event which takes place the day after the Boat Parade, closes down A1A from Las Olas to Sunrise with a stage featuring national entertainment each year such as Roberta Flack, James Taylor, etc. It was an all day event, including arts & crafts, restaurants, and music on 3 different stages.
In 1982, the annual Christmas Boat Parade was expanded into a week-long, county-wide Winter Festival. The task force worked year round to make the week of December 11-18 a memorable one for residents and tourists alike. The Chamber, the Fort Lauderdale Area Board of Realtors, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Fort Lauderdale Jaycees, and local merchants sponsored events, parties, parades, contests, and concerts making the Winter Festival week fun for children of all ages.
Over $100,000 in airtime advertising was donated by official festival stations Y-100 Radio, South Florida’s 7, and Selkirk Cablevision.
The Land Parade kicked off the week with marching bands, drill teams, clowns, and floats on beautiful A1A by the ocean. A white Christmas with real snow was provided by the West Broward Holiday Happening. The week culminated on Saturday, December 18, 1982, with one of the most unique and spectacular events ever seen on water – the Christmas Boat Parade.
Over 100 beautiful, elaborately decorated boats paraded the Intracoastal Waterway to the delight of hundreds of thousands of spectators. Grand Marshals Paul Williams and Gary Collins led the parade on Malcolm Forbes’ 126-foot Feadship, The Highlander, as vessels with thousands of lights, noted characters, specialty themes, live music, and animation followed. It was truly a celebration of our tropical holiday season.
THE PEOPLE OF WINTERFEST
Winterfest has its first President/CEO/Chairman, Ina Lee of TravelHost Magazine. Ina would helm the nascent Winterfest organization for the next six years, overseeing the creation of the Winterfest Black Tie Ball and the Winterfest Beach Ball.
First President/CEO/Chairman Ina Lee
Winterfest was created as an umbrella for over 100 major events happening in Broward County during the holiday season, including the Pompano Beach Boat Parade.
Christmas Boat Parade Task Force Chairman: Chris Davell
Executive Director: Diane Grow
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Broward’s Tourist Development Council, June Switken, director, first funds Winterfest in 1982 with $8,000.
The Tenth Annual Christmas Boat Parade was the biggest and best ever when it weighed anchor on Saturday, December 19th, 1981 at 7:00 p.m.
Starting at the turning basin of Port Everglades, the parade, for the first time limited to 125 boats and viewed by more than 500,000 people, headed north on the Intracoastal Waterway, past the special Parade Viewing Area with lighting and bleachers for the public at Birch State Park and on to Lake Santa Barbara at the border of Broward County.
GRAND MARSHALS
1981 Christmas Boat Parade Grand Marshals John Scheider and Laura Malone
John Schneider – Famous for his role as Bo Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard.
Laura Malone – Soap Opera Queen who played Blaine Ewing on Another World.
The Grand Marshals, along with many other V.I.P.’s, rode aboard the lead boat, the 90′ luxury yacht Sun Dream.
There were four official categories that boats could compete in:
Best Decorated Commercial Entry Under 50 Feet
Best Decorated Commercial Entry Over 50 Feet
Best Decorated Private Entry Under 30 Feet
Best Decorated Private Entry Over 30 Feet
Judging criteria included general appearance, use of lights, originality, live performance and costumes, and use of sound.
Local network personalities Steve Rondinaro and Donna Hanover acted as M.C.’s, narrating the evening’s event from ashore. Official television coverage was provided by Channel 7, WCKT-TV, including overhead viewing taped from a helicopter.
For the third year, Y-100 was the official radio station for the holiday parade.
Bill Davell was the 1981 Chair of the Christmas Boat Parade Committee of the Fort Lauderdale Broward County Chamber of Commerce.
The 1981 Christmas Boat Parade was Sponsored By:
Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Chamber of Commerce (George Sullivan, President)
Marine Industries Association of South Florida (Harrison “Hutch” Hutchengs, President)
Fort Lauderdale Area Board of Realtors (Douglas Cole, President)
The City of Fort Lauderdale (Honorable Virginia Young, Mayor)
198110th Annual Christmas Boat Parade Cover, Grand Marshals John Schneider and Laura MaloneArticle titled “Christmas Celebration In Our Waterways” about the 10th Anniversary Christmas Boat Parade in December 1981, with John Schneider and Laura Malone as Grand Marshals. Dated October, 1981December 1981 Challenge, Fort Lauderdale Broward County Chamber of Commerce newsletter, Volume XI, No. 20Congratulatory letter to William Davell dated December 21, 1981Plaque awarded to William Davell for his service as the Chairman of the 1981 Christmas Boat Parade CommitteeImage of the History of Winterfest provided by Past Chair Bill Davell
