Panama City's biggest night on the water begins in The Cove. Most of the attention goes to the Panama City Marina, where the drone show and Holiday Village draw the crowd, but the boats gather on Bunkers Cove Road. On Saturday, Dec. 12, entrants in the 40th Annual Boat Parade of Lights have to be lined up at St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club, 218 Bunkers Cove Road, by 5 p.m.
This year that starting point is about to become a construction site. On Oct. 21, the Yacht Club broke ground on a new clubhouse, almost three years after a fire destroyed the old one. So the 2026 parade sets out from a club that is starting its own rebuild in the same weeks.
Bunkers Cove Road Has Been the Starting Line for Years
The lineup is older than any recent planning. In December 2014, the Panama City News Herald previewed the 28th annual parade the same way it runs now. Boats lined up at the Yacht Club in the Cove by 5 p.m., lit up and passed the judges at Panama City Marina starting about 5:30. Then they turned west and ran parallel to Beach Drive toward St. Andrews Marina.
That same article said the parade was started in 1986 by a small group of volunteers. Spectators even then watched from homes, waterfront restaurants, marinas and waterfront parks along the route.
Twelve years later the outline is the same. Destination Panama City lists the 2026 route as starting at St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club and heading west along St. Andrews Bay. It passes Historic Downtown Panama City, the Panama City Marina, West Beach Drive, the St. Andrews Marina, Historic St. Andrews and Sun Harbor Marina, and ends at the Hathaway Bridge. The route now runs all the way to the Hathaway Bridge, and the lineup is still on Bunkers Cove Road.
The Clubhouse Is Starting Over in the Same Season
The old clubhouse burned in the early morning of Nov. 12, 2023. WJHG reported that the fire took "more than 90 years of history" with it. The station also reported that the club is funding the rebuild with insurance proceeds and fundraising to cover shortfalls, and will likely take on some financing.
The plans call for a two-story clubhouse with event space, large porches, a pool and a view of St. Andrews Bay. Construction was set to begin at the end of October, and the building is expected to be finished 12 to 14 months after that. Counting from late October 2026, that works out to somewhere between late October and late December 2027.
Former Commodore Michael Wynn described the club's approach to the rebuild in WJHG's coverage:
"We took the time to work through issues, whether it's how we use the land, how we make sure that we're financially responsible about it, how we embody the stories of what made our club great, and how we bring all that together for the future."
The 2026 captain application still tells boats to be lined up at the Yacht Club by 5 p.m. Assigned positions are given out at the captain meetings. Any changes to how boats stage around the construction will come from the organizers at those meetings.
Two Things Happen at 5 O'Clock
The Cove's part of the evening and the downtown program run at the same time. Here is the Dec. 12 schedule as Destination Panama City lists it:
- 4:00 p.m. Holiday Village opens at the Panama City Marina with holiday vendors, music and a visit from Santa. It runs until 7:00.
- 5:00 p.m. Boats must be lined up at St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club. The drone show starts at the Downtown Panama City Marina at the same hour.
- 5:30 p.m. The parade leaves the Yacht Club and heads west along the shoreline.
- 7:30 p.m. The parade's scheduled end, at the Hathaway Bridge.
Anyone near Bunkers Cove has to pick one. The boats gather and light up on the club side at the same hour the drone show runs downtown, and people who go to the marina for the show will first see the boats when they reach downtown.
Last year's timing was nearly the same. WJHG's 2025 preview listed the 39th parade for Dec. 13, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The drone show ran from 5:00 to 5:30 on the west side of the marina T-dock, and Holiday Village ran from 4:00 to 7:00. The drone show lasted half an hour then, the same half hour the boats spent between the lineup and the start.
Public Places to Watch on the Cove Side
Destination Panama City tells spectators they can watch from the shoreline, the Panama City Marina, the St. Andrews Marina or waterfront bars and restaurants. Much of The Cove's waterfront is private, so it helps to know which nearby spots the City and local businesses describe as open to the public:
- Asbell Park, 701 E. Caroline Blvd. The City lists it on East Beach Drive at East Caroline Boulevard, next to Lake Caroline, with a view of St. Andrews Bay. It has benches and picnic tables.
- Tarpon's at Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina is open to the public and has a covered veranda with bay views. Dinner runs 4 to 9 p.m. and the bar 4 to 10 p.m.
- Steam on 5, the hotel's fifth-floor rooftop bar, welcomes locals as well as hotel guests and has bay views. It keeps the same dinner and bar hours.
- Other waterfront spots farther along the route. Destination Panama City's 2026 announcement also names Uncle Ernie's, Papa Joe's Bayside and Sun Harbor Marina as places to watch.
If you go downtown, the event listing names public parking at 8 Harrison Ave., 9 Harrison Ave., 36 Oak Ave., 413 Harrison Ave. and 2–98 E. 6th St. No seating is provided, so bring a chair or blanket. Tents, glass and weapons are on the list of banned items.
If Your Boat Lives in The Cove
Owners who keep a boat on Massalina Bayou or at the club are closer to the start than almost anyone else in the parade. Registration for the 40th parade is open and spots are first-come, first-served. The application asks for vessel, captain, contact, dimension and insurance details.
The entry fee is $25 and is non-refundable. Government agencies and 501(c)(3) nonprofits that provide proof of status do not pay it. Every captain must attend one meeting at Destination Panama City, 101 W. Beach Drive. The options are Thursday, Dec. 3, or Thursday, Dec. 10, both at 5:30 p.m., with dinner provided.
The 2026 announcement lists three awards, Judges' Choice, People's Choice and Destination Panama City Choice. The event listing says the prize for best-decorated boat is decided by a public vote. No registration deadline, theme or prize amounts had been posted, and the sponsor section still read "Coming Soon." Since spots go first-come, it makes sense to register early and check the details with Destination Panama City as the meetings get closer.
The Week Before, on Harrison Avenue
The Downtown Christmas Parade comes a week earlier, on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. The City's route starts at the Downtown Marina, 1 Harrison Avenue, goes north on Harrison and ends at Tommy Oliver Stadium.
Both December parades start from the waterfront, and that waterfront is still recovering from the storm. MyPanhandle reported that on Oct. 13, commissioners voted 3–2 to rebid the first phase of the downtown marina's slip contract, which covers 49 slips. That same afternoon, the City posted that the Downtown Marina boat ramp had reopened after repairs to its stairs and dock, which Hurricane Isaias had damaged. Destination Panama City's listing still puts the Holiday Village and drone show at the marina on Dec. 12, so check it once more the week of the parade.
If you're thinking about the Bunkers Cove side of the bay, whether for parade night or for the years after this clubhouse opens, I'm glad to share what I know about that shoreline. Reach out to Joshua Fowler and let's connect.
