POMPANO BEACH, FL – The Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the co-chairs and honorees for this year’s 50th Annual Holiday Boat Parade on Dec. 9. This year’s boat parade honors Gwen and Richard Leys and is co-chaired by Michele Greene and Dr. Brian Rask.

“I am honored to be working with my co-chair Michele Greene on this special edition of the Holiday Boat Parade. We have many people working hard to bring more boats, sponsors, activities, prizes and awards to this year’s event,” said Dr. Rask. “Our goal is to have at least 50 boats participating, and we are also having an on shore decorating contest for homes and condos along the Intracoastal.”

An annual affair, 2012 not only celebrates 65 years for the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce, but also marks the 50th Anniversary of the Pompano Boat Parade, possibly one of the longest running boat parades in the United States.

“We look forward to making this year’s commemorative event really special,” said Greene. “We are involving the residential and business communities of Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point and Deerfield Beach! This will be a fun event for everyone.”

As part of the festivities, this year’s signature event that winds through four cities will honor Richard and Gwen Leys as grand marshals. The Leys have been heavily involved in the Pompano Beach community and have been the main backbone behind organizing the boat parade for 10 years.

“Gwen and Richard Leys have been invaluable to our chamber and I am grateful for this opportunity to honor them,” said Greater Pompano Chamber President Ric Green. “Our 50th Annual Boat Parade is going to be a treat! With our new date and time, it should be easier for more people to sail with us.”

Entrance into the Holiday Boat Parade is free and boats small and large are encouraged to participate. Captains wishing to be in the parade need to register their vessels ahead of time. A boat decorating class will be held Nov. 3, 6 p.m. at Lowe’s inside Pompano Citi Centre. Participants will receive a gift bag from local businesses, including a commemorative ornament from renowned local artist Pat Anderson.

“This is such an amazing milestone for our community as this boat parade has gathered residents together for decades to celebrate our waterways and the holidays with this memorable event,” said Green. “With the revitalization of Pompano Beach, it’s critical that we celebrate the things that make Pompano great—and our annual boat parade is one of these things.”

The Holiday Boat Parade, held on December 9 along the Intracoastal Waterway, starts in Pompano Beach, and runs through Lighthouse Point and Hillsboro Beach before ending at Hillsboro Blvd. in Deerfield Beach. This year the star-studded event will start at Lake Santa Barbara at 6 p.m., thirty minutes earlier to encourage more families to come out and participate.

Email boatparade@pompanobeachchamber.com or call 954-941-2940 with any questions on participation or sponsorship or to RSVP your boat. Visit www.pompanobeachchamber.com for more information.