Lake Keystone To Host Christmas Boat Parade

The weekend will be full of Christmas parades, but not all of them are on land.

 A lot of people think you only got boating in the summer. But that is not the case for Carol Roades and many others at Keystone Lake.

"We put Christmas on the water," she said.

And they've been doing that for the past 19 years, with the Keystone Lake Christmas Boat Parade of Lights. More than 20 boats will be decked out with festive themes for this Saturday's parade.

"It's at night, it's beautiful, it's dark and  the lights reflecting off the water, it's really really neat," said Roades.

But more than that, it's for a good cause.

The boaters don't have to pay an entry fees to be in the parade, instead they're asked to donate toys for the Shriner's Christmas Toy Drive and the gifts you see here are just some of what's been donated.

"We expect more," Roades said. "The boaters will come in on Saturday and there'll be plenty of toys."

Freddie's Steakhouse in Mannford is taking in donations as well. The Shriners will pick up all the presents during a pre-parade party.

"It's really nice to see the things that we have picked out going to kids in the community," said Roades.

Proving this parade will light up much more than just the lake this Christmas.

"Their little faces when they see Santa, it's just really a neat thing," she said.

All of the boaters will meet at Pier 51 on Saturday evening and the parade starts at dusk. You don't have to be on a boat to enjoy the lake parade. You can watch it from your car near at Pier 51, near the Keystone Dam or at the Washington-Irving Campground.