The North Carolina Holiday Flotilla returns to Wrightsville Beach the weekend after Thanksgiving. It starts with a kickoff party on Friday, November 27, and ends with an awards ceremony on Sunday morning, November 29. At 5 a.m. the next day, Monday, November 30, NCDOT is scheduled to close West Salisbury Street from Pelican Drive to Lookout Harbor Way to both cars and pedestrians, so crews can demolish the Lees Cut bridge and build its replacement. The island's biggest community weekend is also the last weekend before its traffic pattern changes for months.
Four Days on One Calendar
The organizer's published schedule, followed by NCDOT's closure date, reads like this:
- Friday, November 27. The captains' meeting is at 5:30 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a ticketed kickoff party hosted by Bluewater Grill, with live music from Spare Change, snacks, and a cash bar.
- Saturday, November 28. Day in the Park runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sponsor viewing tent opens at 5 p.m., the boat parade starts at 6 p.m., and fireworks follow the parade.
- Sunday, November 29. The awards ceremony is at 10 a.m., presented by REDIX in memory of Gordon D. Reddick III, known as "Dee."
- Monday, November 30. The West Salisbury Street closure between Pelican Drive and Lookout Harbor Way is set to start at 5 a.m. NCDOT says the start date may change depending on when the current utility relocation work wraps up.
The North Carolina Holiday Flotilla is run by volunteers and organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Last year was its 42nd, which makes this its 43rd. At last year's kickoff, WWAY reported that more than 50 people came to the pre-show party at the Bluewater Waterfront Grill, including organizers, boaters in the parade, and people from around the area. This year the kickoff is back at the same restaurant. Tickets are sold through the link on the Flotilla's website.
Saturday Starts on Land
Before any boat leaves the dock, the day centers on Wrightsville Beach Municipal Park, where the Day in the Park festival is held. The schedule lists local arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, kids' activities, and official Flotilla merchandise at the Flotilla Tent. Vendor applications for the festival are already sold out.
The schedule has an hour between the park closing at 4 p.m. and the sponsor viewing tent opening at 5 p.m. Boats also start lining up at 5 p.m. on the Intracoastal Waterway, north of the drawbridge. If you're staying on the island from the festival through the fireworks, that hour is the time to move from the park to wherever you plan to watch.
The Parade, Landmark by Landmark
The 2026 boat entry rules describe the route by waypoints, so it's easiest to follow it the same way.
| Stage | Where it happens |
|---|---|
| Staging | On the ICW, north of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge |
| First leg | South on the ICW, under the drawbridge |
| Crossing | East through Motts Channel |
| Main run | Into Banks Channel and down its full length |
| Judging | Reviewing stand at Atlantic Marine Marina |
| Finish | Coast Guard Station near Masonboro Inlet |
| Exit | Boats turn off through Shinn Creek or dim their parade lights |
The organizers estimate the route takes about 55 minutes. Boats travel at a steady no-wake speed, stay within 200 feet of the boat ahead, and can't spin or turn anywhere along the way. The parade isn't over until every boat has passed the Coast Guard Station. The 2026 boat entry rules bar fireworks of any kind on parade boats. The fireworks show after the parade is separate from the boats.
The rules also change how spectators take part. Each boat has to show a well-lit number on both sides for judging and People's Choice text voting, and captains now supply their own numbers because the Flotilla committee no longer provides them. Text votes sent before 6 p.m. don't count. Watching for numbers is how the crowd's votes get to the right boat.
The Bar Last Year's Captains Set
The 2025 winners on the organizer's site show what wins here. Most of the top boats paired holiday lights with a coastal theme:
- Billy Baggett Best in Show: Captain Josh Reda's Chaos, themed "Under The Sea At Wrightsville Beach"
- People's Choice: Captain Mason King's Ditch Digger, themed "4th Of July Christmas"
- Costumes & Crew Spirit: Captain Sidney Gulledge's Serendipity
- Best Powerboat 23'–31': Captain Alex Wilson's Bud Action, themed "Fish On!"
- Best Powerboat Under 22': Captain Brent Jernigan's Craig Cat, themed "Old Man Grinch And The Sea"
- Best Non-Motorized Vessel: Captain Jack Holt's WBOCC, themed "Clean Seas & Greetings – NC Coastal Federation"
- Judges' Choice: Captain Brooks Bridges' TowBoatUS
The 2026 entry form lists $1,500 prizes for both Best Costumes and Crew Spirit and Judges' Choice. Each boat can win only one prize. If a boat earns enough points for two, it takes the more valuable prize and the lesser one goes to the next-highest finisher. Last year, organizer Bradley Alsip told WWAY what spectators could expect:
"There are many boats that are ready to light up the town on the water. There is going to be so much in store like incredible fireworks."
Where Signs Went Up Last Year
For the 2025 parade, WWAY reported that signs were posted reminding drivers not to park on the pavement on these streets. Vehicles parked improperly could be ticketed or towed.
- N. Channel Drive
- Island Drive
- Shore Drive
- South Channel Drive
- Point Place
- Live Oak Drive
- Lindy Lane
- Jasmine Place east of Live Oak Drive
- Myrtle Court
- Harbor Island
That list is from last year's parade. On Flotilla Saturday, check the posted signs on your own street and the streets near where you plan to watch.
Monday Morning, the Island Gets a New Route
West Salisbury Street, also U.S. 74, crosses two bridges, one over Lees Cut and one over Banks Channel. A third bridge, the South Banks Channel Bridge on Causeway Drive, is also scheduled for replacement. NCDOT says all three are still safe but nearing the end of their life cycle. The smaller Lees Cut bridge goes first.
According to NCDOT's October 30 announcement, the closure from Pelican Drive to Lookout Harbor Way blocks both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and should last until the new Lees Cut bridge is finished, which is expected by summer 2027. WECT reported that once that bridge reopens, crews will start on the longer West Salisbury Street bridge over Banks Channel. The finished Lees Cut bridge is planned with two travel lanes, two bike lanes, and a multi-use path on its south side.
During this first phase, Causeway Drive stays open to traffic and pedestrians, with two lanes in each direction and its multiuse path open, Port City Daily reported in August. If you usually walk, bike, or drive over Lees Cut, Flotilla weekend is your last chance to use that route until summer 2027. NCDOT has said it will keep posting updates on the Wrightsville Beach Bridge Replacements project page, where you can also sign up for alerts.
When it comes to the island's roads, bridges, and how construction affects daily life, Lindy Mauney with Capital to the Coast can help you understand what a project like this means for your own street. If you'd like to know how your Wrightsville Beach home stands going into a season of bridge work, start with an instant home valuation.
