Saturday night's annual Christmas boat parade in Hamilton Harbour is shaping up to be the most spectacular to date, organiser Norma Thomson said last night.

Around 66 boats decorated and brightly illuminated boats - around the same number as last year - are expected for the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute parade.

But Mrs. Thomson said this year there was more excitement among boat owners and they were coming up with even more creative designs.

Speaking after a meeting of parade skippers last night, she told The Royal Gazette: "We'll have a much better parade judging from last year because people are getting really, really creative and getting more ideas as the years go by.

"I sensed a lot of excitement at the skippers' meeting, although many of the skippers like to keep their ideas under their hats until the night.

"This year for the first time, all marine traffic will be banned from moving in the harbour, with the exception of boats taking part in the pageant.

The decision was taken because last year there were several near misses as an estimated 500 boats with spectators weaved in and out of the parade.

"It was very dangerous and we came close to near misses on a number of occasions because we had big, big boats in the parade and we had lots of little boats anchoring right in front of the parade line," said Mrs. Thomson.

"We said last year: `No more moving traffic. You either anchor up or don't go on the water'."

From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday normal marine traffic will be banned from travelling east of a line between Saltus Island and Musson Point.

The parade, which is now in its fourth year, will begin at 6.30 p.m. when a single firework will be fired from White's Island, and will end at 8.30 p.m.

Bleachers will be set up along the dockside on Front Street to allow spectacular views of the parade, and a firework display will begin at 8 p.m.

There is a contingency plan to adjourn the show until Sunday if the weather is bad, but Mrs Thompson said it would "need to be blowing 95 miles per hour" for that to happen.

There will be severe traffic restrictions around the harbour on Saturday evening to ensure good viewing spots are not blocked up by cars.

In Hamilton, parking will be banned at the south side of Front Street, Number Five car park, North roundabout at the western junction with The Lane, Stowe Hill at the junction with Harbour Road, Highwood Lane at the junction with Harbour Road, Valley Road with the junction with Harbour Road, Valley Road at the Junction with Harbour Road.

There will also be no parking on Manse Road between Middle Road and Harbour Road, Chapel Road between Middle Road and Harbour Road, and Cavendish Road on the south side between Lane Hill and Spurling Hill.

In Hamilton, Point Pleasant Road will be closed to traffic between 4-9 p.m.. And between 6-9 p.m.

Harbour Road between Manse Road to Stowe Hill, and The Lane between Stowe Hill and North roundabout will be one way.