The Oasis—a new outdoor retreat at Crown Bay Marina—played host for the Annual Lighted Boat Parade’s base and afterparty Friday, according to a news release.

Boats on the parade route left from the marina and sailed to the Charlotte Amalie waterfront, circled twice in front of the enthusiastic Miracle on Main Street crowd before returning to the marina and eagerly awaited the announcement of the winners, the release stated.

According to the release, the judges looked for originality, craftsmanship, and beauty. The energetic crowd did drum rolls on the Cruzan Rum barrels as the master of ceremony and Crown Bay Marina representative, Jenielle Freeman, announced this year’s winners. First place went to “Arawak,” decorated by Capt. Lawrence Benjamin and his crew. Smiling ear-to-ear, Benjamin revealed that “this was his second win after participating for fourteen straight years.” In a heartwarming winner’s speech, Benjamin indicated that he was representing “St. Thomas/St. John Sailing Squadron” and showed his appreciation for the award as, he said, it was “a lot of hard work.”

In addition to the great work by the Crown Bay Marina staff, this event would not have been as successful without the public-private partnership and the assistance and participation of the Chamber of Commerce, Department of Tourism, Department of Planning and Natural Resources, St. Thomas Search and Rescue, and over 40 private sector donors such as CC1 and Crystal Blue Operations.

Winners of the Annual Lighted Boat Parade:

1st Place ($500 cash prize): Arawak—Lawrence Benjamin
2nd Place ($300 cash prize): Gorda Pirate—Tyler Weiss
3rd Place ($200 cash prize): Lana June—Amber Packard

The boat parade, co-sponsored by the Department of Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce, brought together the boating community, the marina, and families for a festive and fun celebration.