This year’s OLA Decorated Boat Parade will feature a “flying boat” for the first time. (Photo provided)

Letter from Wayne Bunn

Calling All Boats for OLA Boat Parade

The Otsego Lake Association’s annual “We Love Our Lake” Decorated Boat Parade will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, July 3rd, forming off Three Mile Point (weather permitting).

This year’s parade, with the theme of “Our Glimmerglass Shines,” will feature a “boat” that we have not seen before. A local pilot has graciously offered to enter his “flying boat” (see photo and think “Da Plane, Da Plane” as cried out by Tattoo in the “Fantasy Island” TV show from 1977-1984) as our “grand finale” at the end of the parade. Wow—that should add some excitement!

The SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station’s barge, the Anondontoides, will again be our lead boat, where the judges on board will record the theme and owner of each boat for judging. The Anondontoides will then lead the parade slowly along the westerly shore of the lake to a point off Lakefront Park in Cooperstown where an awards ceremony will be held. Please stay around for a few minutes at the end of the parade while the judges announce and give out the prizes. There will be five general prizes awarded—all as determined by the judges.

All boats, large and small, are welcome—including antique or classic, human powered, wind powered, electric powered, jet powered, outboard powered, inboard/outboard powered and, of course, flying boats.

We encourage you to decorate your boat using the “Our Glimmerglass Shines” theme, but you may decorate your boat anyway you wish. It can be unusually decorated, humorously decorated, patriotic theme decorated, joyful/party theme decorated, sports theme decorated, military theme decorated, etc. If you prefer, you do not even need to decorate your boat—just join in the parade and view the other boats up close.

You can even join the parade at any time or anywhere along the route, especially for non-motorized boaters who might not want to travel the full route. If you are unable to enter your boat in the parade, you can watch from shore at various points along the parade route, including Three Mile Point, Brookwood Point, the Cooperstown Country Club (members only), The Otesaga Hotel, and Lakefront Park.

There are no fees, registration forms, rules, or regulations except travel slowly, stay in line, and be courteous to other boaters. In the past, we have had more than 50 boats participate in the parade. The parade is meant to be a fun-filled, family event for all boaters to celebrate our love for Otsego Lake.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Wayne Bunn, boat parade chairman, at bunnwayne@gmail.com or (518) 542-6630. You can also view photographs of boat parades from past years at www.OtsegoLakeAssociation.org.

We look forward to seeing you on July 3rd. Remember 3 (July 3rd)—3 (3 p.m.)—3 (Three Mile Point)!

Wayne Bunn
Otsego Lake Association Boat Parade Chairman