Since the early 1900's coastal cities around the United States have hosted annual Christmas Boat parades which have grown to be enormously successful community events, attracting thousands of visitors and locals. The granddaddy of them all is the Newport Beach, California boat parade which has been held annually for ninety five years.

It was the Newport Beach boat parade which inspired the founder of the Bermuda event, Norma Thomson, to create a Christmas boat parade for the Island.

"I worked in the hotel industry at the Four Seasons in Newport Beach for two years and knew how popular the boat parade was there. So when I came back to Bermuda which my husband Steve ten years ago I kept saying "we should do a Christmas Boat parade here''.

"Hamilton Harbour is perfect, perhaps one of the best locations in all the world. But the timing never seemed right for us as we started a family, built a house, opened a new business. Then in 1998 we said this is it, let's do it,'' said Mrs. Thomson.

Norma and Steve shared the idea with Ian Coles, who was immediately excited by the potential of a Bermuda boat parade and came on board as an organiser. They then set about finding sponsors.

The group discussed several options under which the parade could be organised, such as approaching the Chamber of Commerce to make it an extension of the Harbour Nights shopping evenings.

At the time, Norma was working at the BUEI and it seemed a natural fit to offer them an opportunity to be the name sponsor.

BUEI was somewhat hesitant to give support but Norma's natural enthusiasm eventually convinced them to get involved, with Chris Heslop, then BUEI marketing director, joining the organisers.

With the addition of sponsor Bacardi and their brand manager, Jens Maitland, the organising committee was finalised, and the rest, as they say, is history! For more information contact: Ian Coles 292-7279 ext 22 or Norma Thomson 292-6563.

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