Beautifully decorated boats strewn with brightly colored lights sailed through Christiansted Harbor Saturday evening during the annual St. Croix Boat Parade.

Event organizer Nancy Oliver said the Boat Parade is family oriented, inviting all residents and visitors to enjoy the local community tradition.

“Boaters on St. Croix started the event to give back to St. Croix,” Oliver said.

And the community answered the call, cramming the boardwalk from the Seaborne terminal all the way to Fort Christiansvaern, smiles spreading from ear to ear as they waited for the gathering darkness to spread across the harbor so the parade could begin.

Steel pan music and Mocko Jumbies entertained the crowd of onlookers. The anticipation grew as Seaborne Airlines passed overhead in a flyby signaling the start of the boat parade.

The crowd gasped and cheered as the 18 boats decked out in Christmas lights paraded around the harbor. The boats ranged from a 17-foot, handmade wooden dory to a 65-foot motor yacht.

All of the boats had a combination of a Christmas theme, and several had Santa Claus aboard as a passenger. Passengers and crews danced to calypso music aboard some boats, while on another, a ripple-effect created cool animation. As the boat maneuvered down the harbor, water sprayed like a sprinkler and colorful lights gleamed over it.

“I always feel the Christmas spirit when I attend the boat parade,” said Laurie Hodge, who lives in Christiansted and doesn’t miss the annual event.

Fireworks lit the sky, ending the event on a good note.

Organizers of the event included Martin and Nancy Oliver and David and Nichole Johnson. Sponsors included the Department of Tourism, Blue Lightning, The Bistro, Marshall & Sterling, Bank of Nova Scotia, JKC Communication and Cane Bay Partners.