Category: Events

Get Your Lights Ready! Join the 2026 Illuminated Boat Parade

Leo Seccia

Date: Saturday, 5th December 2026
Start Time: 18:00
Location: Bristol Harbour (Cumberland Basin to Bathurst Basin)
Registration Deadline: Friday, 20th November 2026

VESSEL REGISTRATION FORM

đź“„ Download the full Participant Info sheet (PDF)

Bristol Christmas boat parade in pictures as incredible spectacle brightens harbour - Bristol Live

The nights are drawing in again, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to deck the hulls and light up the harbour. After a fantastic parade last year, the Cabot Cruising Club Illuminated Boat Parade is back, and we are inviting the whole boating community, from powered cruisers to paddleboard squadrons.

This is a volunteer-led event that brings us together for a magical evening on the water. Whether you have a 40ft cruiser or a canoe, there’s a place for you in the procession.

The Plan: A River of Light

Once again we’re running a single pass parade, a continuous stream of light flowing from Underfall Yard through the heart of the harbour to Bathurst Basin.

Before the parade

17:30 – Bridge Swing & Assembly: Prince Street Bridge swings to allow vessels up river.
Smaller vessels (that fit under Junction Lock Bridge): congregate in Cumberland Basin, in size order, small to large.
Larger vessels (2.5m+): congregate at Underfall Yard.

The parade

18:00 – Departure: Announced by the Harbour Master, who will lead the procession.
Formation: Vessels loop Cumberland Basin once to get into formation before joining the harbour. Powered craft follow in size order, larger vessels at Underfall fall in behind, and manual craft follow last.
18:30 – Prince Street Bridge swing. The pontoons just before the bridge are available as a landing stage for anyone early for the swing or not continuing to Bathurst Basin. Please wait there until all manual craft have passed through safely.

The finish

The parade ends in Bathurst Basin. Vessels joining the after party are invited to moor up there; all other craft should return safely to their berths or the slipway.

The Afterparty: Aboard the Light Ship

It wouldn’t be a Cabot Cruising Club event without a proper knees up! Once moored up, crews and passengers are invited aboard the John Sebastian Light Ship (LV55) to celebrate.

You can find mulled wine, mince pies, music from the fabulous Jomo.Tunes, and most importantly the Best Dressed Boat Award!

Parade Etiquette

To keep everyone safe in low light, please:

  • Use VHF channel 72 for event management, leaving 73 clear for emergencies.
  • Maintain formation and leave at least 25m between vessels.
  • Keep to DEAD SLOW speed and avoid overtaking.
  • Watch for bottlenecks at the start, at Prince Street Bridge and at the entrance to Bathurst Basin.
  • Follow the Harbour Master’s instructions at all times.

Vessel Requirements

All participating vessels must:

  • Hold a valid navigation licence for Bristol Harbour and valid insurance.
  • Have working navigation lights in addition to decorative lighting.
  • Carry suitable lifesaving equipment. All minors must wear buoyancy aids.
  • Brief all crew and passengers before departure.

All skippers must be available for a briefing on the day of the parade. Details to follow.

How to Join

Register your vessel by Friday, 20th November using the Vessel Registration Form.

Groups: RSVP separately. Every group needs a dedicated Group Lead with a VHF radio. Please send us the Group Lead’s email address and mobile number to

Complete a risk assessment. All groups must submit a risk assessment form. Get in touch if you need help with this.

The John Sebastian: A Time Machine Made of Sound & Light

Leo Seccia

Trip The Light Fantastic: A Festival of Sound and Vision

Something rather extraordinary is bubbling up beneath the hull of our beloved club. Under the collective stewardship of the committee, the club members and several creative wizards, the John Sebastian is being transformed into a vessel of light, sound, and a little bit of time travel for the upcoming Bristol Light Festival 2026.

We are delighted to announce that artists Kathy Hinde and Lia Mazzari are coming aboard to install a state-of-the-art hydrophone (a listening device for the deep) beneath the keel. Alongside them, we have a marvellous collaboration between Adrian Price and Maff Scott. Together, this array of installations promises to turn the dockside into a sort of scientific séance.

A Translator for an Alien Universe

From the safety of our 141-year-old wooden light vessel, a suspended hydrophone will drift below the surface of the Bathurst Basin. It acts as a permanent ear, continuously transmitting the underwater soundscape in real-time.

It reveals a “living archive” of the basin’s sonic life. You will hear the industrial drones of passing boats and the rhythmic sediment flows inside the water. But if you listen closely, you will catch the stranger sounds, too: the song of freshwater invertebrates and the delicate impact of rain stroking the microphone. It is a translation of an alien acoustic universe right under our feet.

The 10-Second Echo

Here is where it becomes genuinely magical. The sounds from the deep are broadcast around the world via the Locus Sonus Soundmap server with a deliberate 10-second latency. This delay creates a loop in time. When you speak into the ocean, the ocean waits before whispering your own words back to you. You are effectively communicating with a ghost version of yourself from the immediate past.

Beams of Sound and Towers of Light

Above the water, we are joined by Adrian Price of Bristol’s Soundbeam project and the artist Maff Scott (The Egg). They are bringing something quite peculiar to the proceedings. Adrian’s contraption allows one to create music simply by interrupting an ultrasonic beam (an invisible string of sound, if you will).

Meanwhile, Maff captures these vibrations and translates them into dancing LED lights that will scramble up the lightship’s tower. It is ambient music with a pulse of pure light, synchronised to the movement of the evening.

Trip the Light Fantastic

To accompany this sonic ritual, we are unveiling a spectacular Mirror Ball installation. These glittering orbs will scatter light across the dock, turning the area into a luminous playground as we “Trip the Light Fantastic.” It is a chance to see the vessel not just as a club, but as a beacon of light and hidden sound.

The Grand Finale: End of Festival Party

To cap off these illuminations, we are throwing a proper knees-up to close the festival. On Saturday, 28th February, we invite you to “Trip The Light Fantastic”.

From 8pm till late, the vessel will be aglow with mirror balls and multi-sensory installations. We shall have dancefloor delights provided by DJ LEXXI, turning the club into a luminous playground. It is a chance to see the vessel not just as a club, but as a beacon of light and hidden sound. Do come along.

Flyer for the party

Tune In and Visit

The installations are being set up now. Once the switch is thrown, you can listen to the basin wake up from anywhere in the world (or right here on the dockside) via the link below.

Listen to the Live Stream Here (Please Note: The line is currently silent. The stream goes live this coming Monday. Do check back then.)

For full details on the event, please visit the event website.

Important Club Dates: While we prepare to become ecological witnesses to these shifting waterscapes, please note that the club will be closed on the 21st and the 24th.

Come down to the harbour. Speak into the water, admire the lights, and see if the ship remembers what you said.

A GLOWING SUCCESS: Bristol Harbour Illuminated Boat Parade 2025

Leo Seccia

The Bristol Harbour Illuminated Boat Parade 2025 has once again proven what an extraordinary community effort can achieve. The event was a huge success, bringing festive cheer to the harbour and to everyone who gathered to watch the spectacle.

This year’s parade was only possible because of the dedication, generosity, and teamwork of so many wonderful volunteers. From the Harbour Master’s team operating the swing bridges to the vessels and crews who decked their decks with light, every contribution mattered. Even Santa and his helpers managed to take a break from their incredibly busy schedule to join us on the water!

The Heroes of the Harbour

Safety remains at the heart of everything we do. A massive, heartfelt thank you goes to the highly skilled volunteer crews of the six safety boats. We are extremely grateful to:

  • The Harbour Master Crews
  • Bristol Maritime Academy
  • All Aboard
  • Avon Scouts
  • Avon Fire and Rescue

Their professionalism provided outstanding safety cover, ensuring the parade could be enjoyed safely by all. This collaboration between clubs and organisations is exactly what makes events like this both safe and spectacular.

A Warm Welcome at the Finish Line

As the procession concluded in the Bathurst Basin, we were proud to celebrate at the Cabot Cruising Club, now in its 90th year. As a volunteer-led organisation and custodian of the historic Light Vessel John Sebastian (LV55), it was our joy to provide a warm finish to the parade.

A huge thank you to everyone who came aboard to enjoy the mince pies, mulled wine, and entertainment, all kindly sponsored by Bristol Marina.

Join Our Community

The parade may be over, but the welcome mat is always out. Members from Clubs and Harbour Communities are very welcome onboard the John Sebastian every Thursday from 7:30 pm.

The Bristol Harbour Illuminated Boat Parade truly belongs to everyone involved. Thank you for your support, your enthusiasm, and for helping create such a memorable evening.

Merry Christmas and best wishes to everyone in our harbour community!

Get Your Lights Ready! Join the 2025 Illuminated Boat Parade

Leo Seccia

Date: Saturday, 13th December 

Start Time: 18:00 

Location: Bristol Harbour (Cumberland Basin to Bathurst Basin)

Calling all Skippers, Paddlers, and River Users!

The nights are drawing in, which means it is time to deck the hulls and light up the harbour. We are calling on the local boating community, from powered cruisers to paddleboard squadrons, to join us for the Cabot Cruising Club Illuminated Boat Parade.

This is a volunteer-led event designed to bring us all together for a magical evening on the water, whether you have a 40ft cruiser or a canoe, we want you involved!

The Plan: A River of Light

This year, we are organising a “single pass” parade, creating a continuous stream of light from the west end of the harbour into the city.

The Itinerary:

  • 17:30 – Bridge Swing & Assembly: Prince Street Bridge swings to allow vessels into the “arena area.”
    • Powered Vessels: Congregate in Cumberland Basin.
    • Manual Craft: Congregate at Underfall Yard/Cottage.
  • 18:00 – Parade Start: Powered vessels will lead the procession through Prince Street Bridge and into Bathurst Basin.
  • Follow On: Manual craft will follow the powered vessels when safe to do so.
  • Finish: All vessels congregate in Bathurst Basin for the finale.

Shore Support & Warm Drinks

Invite your friends and family to watch! Our neighbours at Underfall Cafe are opening specially from 17:30 – 18:30 to support the event. They will be serving seasonal treats (including Baileys and Gingerbread hot chocolates), making the yard the perfect spot for shore crew to watch the fleet muster and launch.

The Afterparty Social: Mulled Wine on the Light Ship

It wouldn’t be a Cabot Cruising Club event without a proper social! Once we are moored up, all crews are invited aboard the John Sebastian Light Ship (LV55). In collaboration with Bristol Marina, we’ll be hosting an evening of:

  • 🍷 Mulled Wine
  • 🥧 Mince Pies
  • 🎵 Musical Entertainment

Overnight Mooring: Don’t want to rush home in the dark? Both powered and manual vessels are welcome to stay overnight in Bathurst Basin. (Last bridge swing out is TBC, but likely at around 19:30).

We Need You! (Participation & Safety)

To make this event safe and successful, we rely on the cooperation of the boating community.

  • RSVP is Essential We need to gauge numbers for logistics and catering. Please RSVP to Ben Ewing (Commodore).

If you are a proposed GROUP LEAD for a section of boats, please provide your email and mobile number so we can add you to the event WhatsApp group for real-time comms.

  • Safety First Safety is paramount in low-light conditions. We operate on collective responsibility:
    • Group Leads: Each group of vessels must have a designated lead with a VHF Radio.
    • Visibility: All participants must wear appropriate life jackets/buoyancy aids and have navigation lights/whistles.
    • Electrical Safety: Please be mindful of how you rig your Christmas lights!

How to Join

Let’s create a magical event and have a collaboratively safe, beautifully illuminated celebration.

To register your vessel or group, please contact: Ben Ewing, Commodore

Full safety briefing and detailed itinerary to follow for all registered skippers.

Created by Volunteers—Together, be the light!