Thanksgiving is my favorite annual event other than my birthday and my wedding anniversary both of which occur this week. I am thankful that my extended family will be traveling to the Crystal Coast to celebrate Thanksgiving at our beach house. As I record this, my wife is in the midst of crossing items off her to-do list so dinner can be served on Thursday afternoon. If you are visiting the Crystal Coast for Thanksgiving and aren’t a part of my extended family or you don’t have the facilities or time to prepare your own Thanksgiving Day dinner, the culinary team of the 34 Degrees North Restaurant and Bar in the Beaufort Hotel has you covered. They will be offering a special à la carte dinner menu including: Organic Roast Turkey, 12 oz. Certified Angus Beef Peppercorn Rubbed Prime Rib, Crab Stuffed Mahi, and Sweet Potato Gnocchi. From delicious side dishes and appetizers to main courses and desserts, 34 North and the Beaufort Hotel will make your Thanksgiving holiday one to remember.
At dusk, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, this year at 5PM on the 26th, gather along Swansboro’s waterfront and watch the spectacular parade of lights down the White Oak River. Music will fill the air and you can enjoy treats, such as funnel cakes, cider, and hot cocoa as you enjoy the lights glimmering off the river. Be on the lookout for Santa Claus who will visit with the children afterwards. In addition to Santa, cash prizes will be awarded for the best boats in show. To enter your Santa ship in the Christmas Flotilla, go to the town of Swansboro website and sign up. That’s it. As of noon on Tuesday, 25 slots remain available. All participants must attend the Captain’s Meeting at 9AM on Friday, at the Swansboro Recreation Center and gather at the Emerald Isle bridge at 4:45PM. You can dock your boat at Church Street so the public can view your decorated boat. And if you want to stick around and enjoy the festivities downtown on the evening of the 26th, overnight dockage is available.
The Emerald Isle Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting returns on Saturday, November 27th at 2PM. The 18th edition of this parade will travel along Emerald Drive through the middle of town. This event is a favorite wintertime event for visitors and locals alike that provides a fun and unforgettable way to ring in the season. Featuring a line of floats that capture both the holiday and the coastal spirit, this annual parade and celebration will make everyone want to celebrate the holidays, Emerald Isle style which involves catching candy tossed to viewers from the many floats.. After the parade is over, (which is marked by a special appearance by Santa Claus himself), attendees are welcome to head over to Merchant’s Park where the Christmas tree will be officially lit for the season around dusk. Hot cider and snacks will be available for folks to beat the chilly and salty air, and the event is a great way for locals and visitors alike to meet and mingle at the start of the season. Occurring just after Thanksgiving, the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting is a great way to get into a holiday state of mind while enjoying the small town charm and coastal appeal of Emerald Isle.
Join in the Morehead City Tree Lighting ceremony on Friday, December 3rd. This event is open to the public and free. The event will take place from 5:00-6:30 PM at the Katherine Davis Park in downtown Morehead City at 601 Arendell Street. There will be live music and apple cider, hot cocoa and coffee to drink as well as an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest. The Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla happens on Saturday, December 4th. This event along the Morehead City and Beaufort waterfronts features an evening parade of yachts and working boats decorated for Christmas. Enjoy cider, a delightful parade and perhaps even dinner on the waterfront on this magical evening by the sea. Parade starts at 5:30 PM in Morehead City. Arrival of the flotilla in Beaufort is 6:15 PM. Then, on Sunday, December 5th, show up and enjoy the annual Beaufort Christmas Parade. Come see the holiday-themed floats, marching bands, fire trucks…and yet another visit from Santa himself.The parade is scheduled 3pm, and will meander through historic downtown Beaufort.
And, when you want to learn more about the Emerald Isle, go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com.
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