The Veterans Appreciation Boat Parade set sail at noon Saturday, September 24, 2022, inside Masonboro Inlet near the Wrightsville Beach U.S. Coast Guard station.
Captains were requested to decorate their boats in patriotic themes celebrating veterans or those serving in the military.
Winners of the boat decorations contest were announced during the fifth Southeast North Carolina Veterans Day Parade, on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, on Third Street at Hanover Street in Wilmington.
Prizes for the most patriotically decorated boats have increased by $1,000 each thanks to a $4,000 donation from Kevin Ullman, founder and CEO of Savage Tacticians.
First prize went to Mark Venters and includes an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks plus $4,000. Second prize went to James Martin and is $3,000. Third prize went to Stephen Sutton and is $2,000. Fourth prize went to Abby Harms and is $1,500.
For more information about the 2022 boat parade or if you have questions about how to enter the 2023 boat parade, contact Blair Poteate at 910-612-6786 or John “Mac” McIntyre at 910-619-3616.
