When I say that the display of lights in Dunedin, Florida was moving, I’m not talking about the “bring you to tears” kind of moving. I mean they were literally moving – on the water. At Dunedin’s annual Holiday Boat Parade last night, thousands of people gathered on the waterfront to watch perhaps three dozen wildly decorated boats sail into the marina.

From Christmas trees to an American flag, boats were decked out in all manner of themes

Christmas lights reflected in the still waters of the marina

On one sailboat, an American flag in lights had been strung amidst its rigging and two women, dressed in red, white and blue USO outfits waved at onlookers from the deck. Another sported a penguin theme, with two giant inflatable penguins attached to the mast. Still another had created a palm tree outline in lights. While most were sailboats, several speedboats and one pontoon boat had been decked out for the holidays as well.

In keeping with Christmas Florida style, this sailboat featured a palm tree

Boats were decorated with giant inflatable penguins and snowmen

Even a pontoon boat got into the action

Boats in the marina rocked as Santa arrived on a fast speedboat

At the end of the parade, Santa arrived Florida style, on the Police speedboat. The Chief of Police pulled several doughnuts in the ‘no wake’ main channel of the marina as Santa waved to cheering children lining the shore. His arrival kicked up waves, creating an even more dazzling of Christmas lights as the decorated boats rocked and bobbed at their moorings. Santa stepped off his water-sleigh and walked to a stage set up in Edgewater Park, where he officiated at the town’s tree lighting ceremony.

Dunedin is a lovely little town where children still ride their bicycles after dark without fear and a real sense of community abounds. And the events are not over. Dunedin still has a full calendar of events planned right through Christmas, with the next one being a Holiday parade on Saturday, December 13.