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Highlights from 2024 Harbor Lights Boat Parade

KMXT | By Brian Venua
Published December 16, 2024 at 5:10 PM AKST
Fireworks are common during the parade, with several boats lighting them for audiences, like for people on the Near Island Bridge.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Fireworks are common during the parade, with several boats lighting them for audiences, like for people on the Near Island Bridge.

The Harbor Lights Boat Parade, organized by the Kodiak Maritime Museum, is one of the Kodiak's most popular annual events. Hundreds, if not thousands of spectators line the town's shorelines to watch boats decorated with lights sail by. KMXT Photojournalist Brian Venua shares some of the highlights from the 2024 parade.

Hundreds of people wait for the parade to begin from the St. Paul Harbor. Parking there can fill as early as half an hour before the official start about a mile away.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Hundreds of people wait for the parade to begin from the St. Paul Harbor. Parking there can fill as early as half an hour before the official start about a mile away.
Alaska State Troopers' Stimson is both one of the leading vessels and one of biggest boats to participate.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Alaska State Troopers' Stimson is both one of the leading vessels and one of biggest boats to participate.
Some people opted for smaller vessels, like these jet skis riding just ahead of a larger boat, like reindeer with Santa's sleigh.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Some people opted for smaller vessels, like these jet skis riding just ahead of a larger boat, like reindeer with Santa's sleigh.
Fireworks are often fired near the Near Island Bridge during the parade, and have hit the bridge itself at least once in recent years.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Fireworks are often fired near the Near Island Bridge during the parade, and have hit the bridge itself at least once in recent years.
The dock between Petro Marine and the Bean and Bloom cafe is a common spot for people to be a little closer to boats as they sail by.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
The dock between Petro Marine and the Bean and Bloom cafe is a common spot for people to be a little closer to boats as they sail by.
Boats crews lit off different kids of fireworks for spectators.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Boats crews lit off different kids of fireworks for spectators.
Crowds cheered as boats sailed by them.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Crowds cheered as boats sailed by them.
The parade route ended by Kodiak's Pier 2, with some boats floating around for people to keep admiring before docking again in the harbors.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
The parade route ended by Kodiak's Pier 2, with some boats floating around for people to keep admiring before docking again in the harbors.
Some boats continued lighting fireworks as they circled the end of the route with other boats.
Brian Venua
/
KMXT
Some boats continued lighting fireworks as they circled the end of the route with other boats.

News
Brian Venua
Born and raised in Dillingham, Brian Venua graduated from Gonzaga University before ultimately returning to Alaska. He moved to Kodiak and joined KMXT in 2022. Venua has since won awards for the newsroom as both a writer and photojournalist, with work focused on strengthening community, breaking down complex topics, and sharing stories of and for the people of the Kodiak Archipelago.
See stories by Brian Venua