CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The IBC Bank La Posada Lighted Boat Parade kicks off this weekend on Padre Island for its 45th year.
It all started in 1974 when a group of Islanders decided to commemorate Joseph and Mary's biblical search for lodging by launching the La Posada Lighted boat parade. In those days, it was sailboats only, and Islanders lined the canals with luminaries.
La Posada was mostly an unorganized affair where all you had to do was show up with a sailboat, and you were in. But over the years things have changed.
For the first time this year, the event has a naming sponsor and is called the IBC Bank La Posada Lighted Boat Parade. A week of events have leading up to the Friday and Saturday parades have been added, and it's the biggest single fundraiser for the Marines' Toys for Tots program in the state.
It all started 45 years ago with a few captains and their sailboats.
What's new in 2019 is that the Friday night parade will start at the base of the JFK Bridge, and residents can watch from Docs, Snoopy's, or Marker 37.
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