The holiday spectacle known as “The Greatest Show on H2O” sailed down the Intracoastal Waterway to hundreds of excited sightseers for a night of festive fun on the water. Spectators picked their viewing spots to take in the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, and they were not disappointed. The procession of lights got underway on the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Saturday evening. “Love Winterfest Boat Parade. The boats are amazing,” said a woman. The parade was so bright, it had many feeling the magic, like Nicole and Ben. “He’s a captain, so this is perfect for him,” said Nicole. “I’m a yacht captain,” said Ben. Kelly said she flies down all the way from North Carolina every year. “Just the beautiful boats and the lights, and it just puts us in the Christmas sprit,” she said. This trip, Kelly said, is a bit more special than others. “I just got engaged today,” she said as she showed 7News the ring on her finger. “Oh, I was so surprised.” The annual event spread waves of holiday cheer, from the New River to the Intracoastal, in a joyous return to the water after last year’s parade was canceled due to inclement weather. But before the boats sailed along the river, there was a lot of preparation. Bobby Flanigan Jr. shared some of the prep details. “Well, we built the guitar yesterday, and then, around 9:30 or so this morning, we got together and started building everything else,” he said. This year’s theme is “From Sawgrass to Seagrass: Waves of Holiday Cheer.” “Down at the front, we’ve got bald eagles, we’ve got a deer, and then in the middle, we’ve got downtown and the Hard Rock Casino,” said Flanigan as he described his decorations. Flanigan said decorating and sailing the boat is always a family affair “This is just a fun time for us. We’re a family-style boat, and this is what it’s all about,” he said. With bows and wreaths, Harley and Lindsey Grimm just wanted to deck the halls of the waterway “We’ve got the big ornament on top with our screen, and we’re still loading the rest of the ornaments up, so a traditional Christmas with the ornaments,” said Harley. “Decks the halls, yeah, deck the halls,” said Lindsey. One vessel even pirates on board, but they were friendly. The captain said they have the spirit “I am Captain Black Sparrow. Jack Sparrow’s brother from another mother,” he said. 7News eventually spotted Santa Claus on top of the oldest boat participating in the fun. “The tug was built in ’68,” said Justin Heuer. This vessel may be old, but it is also stylish “Palm trees and a paddleboarding Santa,” said Heuer. Heuer and fellow captain Patrick Kelly were ready to show off the tug. “The excitement, the fun of it.” said Capt. Patrick Kelly. On the Venice of America vessel, it wasn’t the lights that made many feel merry. It was Jr. Capt. Nico. When asked if he was having fun, Nico replied, “Yes.” Nico was selected by the YMCA to help assist in the holiday cheer. “We are very proud of our son. He is doing amazing, thank God,” said his mother. From the dancing to the singing, the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade brought the joy this holiday season. You can catch the parade on 7. It’s set to air Friday at 7 p.m., followed by Christmas Day and New Year’s Day encores at 5 a.m. and noon.