Key West Lighted Boat Parade 2026: Saturday, Dec. 12

The Key West Lighted Boat Parade is on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026. It is the 35th year. Schooner Wharf Bar lists the parade at 8 PM on its 2026 events page, and keywestchristmas.org, the Historic Seaport’s holiday site, adds live music from 6 PM. Watching is free: you stand along the Harbor Walk of Lights and the decorated boats pass through Key West Bight, with the judges at Schooner Wharf. This page sets out what the organisers have posted and what they have not, checked on Oct. 21, 2026. Christmas in Key West is an independent planner published by LPE Realty LLC. We are not the City of Key West, Schooner Wharf, the Historic Seaport, the Lodging Association or any venue, and we sell no tickets.

• Schooner Wharf Bar's 2026 Events page lists "Dec. 12 35th Annual Schooner Wharf Bar Lighted Boat Parade 8:00 p.m." and says "The Judges' Stand is located at Schooner Wharf. A "Not-to-be-Missed" Event." The flyer line reads "2025 Flyer – 2026 Coming Soon". Schooner Wharf Bar: Special Events (2026 Events)
• keywestchristmas.org lists "35th Annual Key West Lighted Boat Parade 2026" on "Saturday, December 12" with "Music at 6:00, Parade starts at 8:00pm." The listing is headed "Schooner Wharf Bar & Galley and Absolute Vodka". Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights)

Who runs it

Schooner Wharf Bar at 202 William Street puts its name on the parade and lists it as its own event. keywestchristmas.org heads the listing “Schooner Wharf Bar and Galley and Absolute Vodka”. Fury Water Adventures, a company that takes part in the parade but does not run it, says it is presented by Schooner Wharf and the Historic Seaport. The City of Key West posts a City Property Event Notice because the parade uses the Key West Historic Seaport and Marina.

• Fury Water Adventures (a parade participant, not the organiser) says the parade is "Presented by Schooner Wharf & Historic Seaport", that "The judge's stand is located at the Schooner Wharf Bar & Galley while the lighted boat parade travels through the Key West Bight", and that "2026 will mark the 35th annual Key West Lighted Boat Parade." Fury Water Adventures: Key West Lighted Boat Parade (participant page)
• The City of Key West calendar lists "Deck the Hulls! Annual Schooner Wharf Bar Key West Lighted Boat Parade – City Property Event Notice" on "Saturday, December 12, 2026", "7:00 PM – 10:00 PM", at "Key West Historic Seaport and Marina", "201 William Street". City of Key West: Calendar event notice

The City notice’s title begins “Deck the Hulls!”. That is the wording of the City’s notice, not an announced 2026 theme. Schooner Wharf’s flyer line read “2025 Flyer – 2026 Coming Soon” when we checked, and no organiser has published a 2026 theme.

The evening, hour by hour

Time	What is listed	Source
5:40 PM	Sunset	U.S. Naval Observatory
6 PM	Live music begins	keywestchristmas.org
6:05 PM	Civil twilight ends	U.S. Naval Observatory
7 PM	City notice window opens	City of Key West
7:30 to 9:30 PM	Schooner Appledore II parade boat party (very limited seating)	keywestchristmas.org
8 PM	Parade starts	Schooner Wharf and keywestchristmas.org
10 PM	City notice window closes	City of Key West

• U.S. Naval Observatory sunset times for Key West (EST): Dec. 1, 2026 5:38 pm; Dec. 12 5:40 pm; Dec. 21 5:44 pm; Dec. 25 5:46 pm; Dec. 31 5:50 pm. Civil twilight ends about 25 minutes later (Dec. 12: 6:05 pm). U.S. Naval Observatory: Sun and Moon Data for One Day (computed for 24.5551 N, 81.7800 W, Eastern Standard Time)
• keywestchristmas.org lists a "Schooner Appledore Lighted Boat Parade Party" on "Saturday, December 12", "7:30pm" to "9:30pm", aboard "the Schooner Appledore II Parade Boat" with "Very Limited Seating!" Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights)

Why you will see 7 PM in some places

The City’s notice runs from 7 to 10 PM. That is the window for using City property, not the start of the parade. Both organiser sources say the boats go at 8 PM, with music from 6. We follow the organisers and do not print a 7 PM parade start.

• Start time differs by source: keywestchristmas.org and Schooner Wharf say the parade starts at 8:00 pm (music at 6:00); the City notice covers 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Say "music from 6 pm, parade at 8 pm, according to the organisers". Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights); Schooner Wharf Bar: Special Events (2026 Events); City of Key West: Calendar event notice

Where to watch, and what it costs

keywestchristmas.org marks the parade free and says viewing is “all along the Harbor Walk of Lights” at the Historic Seaport, with the reviewing stand at Schooner Wharf. It suggests coming early for the music, dinner, and a look at the decorated boats still at the dock. The Harbor Walk runs along the seawall past Greene, William and Margaret streets to the Key West ferry terminal, so there is a long stretch of waterfront to choose from. Our Harbor Walk of Lights page describes it end to end.

• keywestchristmas.org: "LOCATION: Viewing all along the "Harbor Walk of Lights" at the Historic Seaport. Reviewing stand is at the Schooner Wharf Bar and Galley. Come early for live holiday music performances, dinner and drinks and to see the decked out holiday boats still in dock." The listing is marked "FREE". Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights)
• keywestchristmas.org: "The "Harbor Walk of Lights" stretches along the seawall past Greene St, William St, and Margaret St. to the K.W. Ferry Terminal." The Holiday Fest calendar describes it as running "from Lazy Way Lane at the Green Street Plaza to the Ferry Terminal at Grinnell Street." Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights); Key West Inns (Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West): Holiday Fest Calendar

Watching from the water

keywestchristmas.org lists one on-board option: a Schooner Appledore Lighted Boat Parade Party on the Schooner Appledore II parade boat, 7:30 to 9:30 PM, with “Very Limited Seating!”. No price is given in that listing, and we do not list or rank other boats that sell seats.

The route

No organiser has published a turn-by-turn water route for 2026. The clearest description comes from Fury Water Adventures, a participant: the judges’ stand is at Schooner Wharf Bar “while the lighted boat parade travels through the Key West Bight”. A route map you see elsewhere did not come from the organiser.

Captains’ meeting and awards

Schooner Wharf’s 2026 events page lists the Captains’ Meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 8 PM and the Awards Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 14 at 8 PM, both at Schooner Wharf, with “Boat Loads of Prizes awarded to Top 12 Vessels”. Entry rules for boat owners were not posted when we checked.

• Schooner Wharf lists "Dec. 10 Captains' Meeting Schooner Wharf Lighted Boat Parade 8:00 p.m." and "Dec. 14 Schooner Wharf Bar Lighted Boat Parade Awards Ceremony 8:00 p.m.", with "Boat Loads of Prizes awarded to Top 12 Vessels". Schooner Wharf Bar: Special Events (2026 Events)

Same day, same week

• Morning: the City lists a street closure for the Rudolph Red Nose 5K, 8 AM to noon, starting and ending at the Duval Street Pocket Park, with South and Duval streets closed at the start. That comes from a City notice, not the race organiser.
• Hanukkah: Hebcal says Chanukah ends at nightfall on Dec. 12, 2026.
• Lights tours: both the Conch Tour Train and the Old Town Trolley run holiday lights tours on Dec. 12. See our lights tours page.
• The night before: Friday, Dec. 11 has the Custom House Holiday Concert and Bazaar and the Holiday Historic Inn Tours.

• The City of Key West calendar lists "Rudolph Red Nose 5K – City Property Event Notice and Street Closure Notice" on Dec. 12, 2026, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM: "Race starts and ends at the Duval Street Pocket Park. South Street and Duval Street will be closed for the start of the race." City of Key West: Calendar event notice

The full grid of overlapping nights is on our December dates page, and the rest of the season is on Key West Christmas events. The street parade a week earlier is a different event; see the Hometown Holiday Parade.

Parking and getting home

keywestchristmas.org points Harbor Walk visitors to the main lot at Margaret and Caroline streets, the garage one block away at Caroline and Grinnell, or the lot at Greene and Elizabeth streets, and asks people on bikes and scooters to use the racks and free scooter areas, not the decorations. The City’s Park N Ride Old Town garage at 301 Grinnell Street has 300 spaces at $6 an hour plus tax, and the City says special event rates may apply. The City’s garage page also says payment there “grants free access to” the City bus routes for everyone in your vehicle.

• keywestchristmas.org: "Park in the Main Parking Lot located at Margaret & Caroline St. OR the Parking Garage one block away at Caroline & Grinnell St. OR in the lot at Green & Elizabeth St." and "Please use FREE scooter parking areas and designated bike racks all around the Historic Seaport and Harbor Walk Area. Please no locking bikes to the decorations!" Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights)
• City of Key West: the "Park N Ride – Old Town Parking Garage" is "at 301 Grinnell Street at the corner of Caroline & Grinnell Streets", "300 on a first come, first serve basis", hourly "$ 6.00 plus tax", daily "$48.00 plus tax". "Special Event Rates may apply – the City Manager determines the rate." "The bus stop is across Caroline Street in front of West Marine." (Page last updated Feb. 28, 2024.) City of Key West: Parking Garage

Plan the ride home with care. The City’s Key West Rides on-demand buses run 6 AM to 8 PM, which is when the parade starts. A note on the Duval Loop: the City’s bus fares page still lists a Duval Loop fare, but the Key West Citizen reported on Dec. 31, 2025 that the route would be suspended from Jan. 2 and replaced by Key West Rides. Do not plan around it. More options are on our parking page and getting here page.

• City of Key West: "Key West Rides On-Demand is an innovative form of transportation that will replace the North and South Lines". "This is a bus stop-to-bus stop service". Hours "Monday" to "Sunday 6 AM" to "8 PM", "(No service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day)." Booking help: "305-809-3910". City of Key West: Key West Rides On-Demand Bus Service
• The City's Bus Fares page still lists "Duval Loop – $1". The Key West Citizen reported on Dec. 31, 2025 that "the Duval Loop bus route will be suspended beginning Jan. 2, with service replaced by the Key West Rides on-demand transit program" and that "Fares were free until July of this year when they were increased to $1 per ride" (secondary source, news). Do not call the Duval Loop free or running. Key West Citizen (news, secondary); City of Key West: Bus Fares

What to bring

NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for Key West International Airport give December an average low of 68.3 F and 2.16 inches of rain for the month. The parade starts more than two hours after the 5:40 PM sunset, so the low is the number that matters. More on our Key West weather in December page.

• NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Key West International Airport (USW00012836), December: average high 77.7 F, average low 68.3 F, mean 73.0 F, precipitation 2.16 inches. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012836 (Key West International Airport)

Questions people ask

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Key West: Visitors