Savannah’s Boat Parade of Lights and SCAD SERVE announce a holiday partnership to benefit Greenbriar Children’s Center as they prepare for the 2024 Savannah Boat Parade of Lights on the Savannah River on Saturday, November 30, 2024 (Thanksgiving holiday weekend).

“We are thrilled that SCAD SERVE will be an important part of the event this year,” said delylah Thompson, Parade Chair.  “This university does so much for our beautiful city, and now they will bring some holiday cheer to the river too!”  SCAD students have submitted multiple designs for the 2024 Boat Parade of Lights T-shirt Design Contest. These designs will be available for viewing, and voting on, beginning September 14, 2024. The public will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite T shirt design for only $1.00 per vote, at http://gogophotocontest.com/2024BoatParadeTShirtContest.  T-shirts with the winning design printed on them will be available for purchase on the parade website at www.savannahboatparadeoflights.com.  Proceeds from both the voting and T-shirt purchases will benefit Greenbriar Children’s Center. 

Envisioned by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace, SCAD SERVE is a university initiative that empowers the students, faculty, and staff to make meaningful contributions through intentional initiatives that improve quality of life for the community.

“When SCAD SERVE was approached by the Savannah Boat Parade of Lights - a local partner dedicated to supporting Greenbriar Children’s Center — we immediately assembled a team that eagerly embraced the opportunity,” said Eric Shumate, Associate Chair of Graphic Design for the Savannah College of Art and Design. “This project not only allowed us to serve our community, but also provided a platform for creative expression. We firmly believe that design should contribute to the betterment of society, and this collaboration exemplified that mission. It is also bringing a sense of joy to us all in the process.”

The Savannah Boat Parade of Lights will be held this year on Saturday, November 30th from 7-9 pm. The parade, traditionally held on Thanksgiving weekend, marks the beginning of the holiday season in Savannah. The Parade of Lights, led by the Georgia Queen Riverboat, will begin its voyage from the dock at Eastern Wharf in front of the Thompson Savannah hotel. The parade will cross the river, pass the Convention Center, and head to the Talmadge Bridge, before circling back past the Plant Riverside District, along River Street and slowly proceed past the dock at Eastern Wharf where the decorated boats will be announced and judged for prizes. The route will be repeated, ending at the dock at Eastern Wharf. Additional events are planned before and during the parade at the park at Eastern Wharf. In addition, Thompson Savannah Hotel will be hosting their first official Boat Parade Afterparty following the parade.

The Boat Parade is free and open to the public and is staged entirely by volunteers. Boat captains, crews, judges, and volunteers donate their time and talents to make this event accessible to everyone. Although the parade is free to the public, funds from sponsorships and contributions are given to Greenbriar Children’s Center, a non-profit in Savannah which provides one of only two emergency shelters in the area for children ages 11-18 who are abused, neglected, abandoned or homeless. Greenbriar also operates three quality rated, affordable infant and early centers, for children who are from primarily low-income families. Additionally, Greenbriar provides supportive services to families in their homes, including counseling, parenting education, and life-skills training. 

The Boat Parade is grateful for contributions and sponsorships to help make the parade possible and raise funds for Greenbriar Children’s Center. Deadline for sponsor recognition on t-shirts and banners is October 15. For more information on ways to help, please email [email protected] or visit www.SavannahBoatParadeofLights.com.

“This year marks the 75th anniversary year of Greenbriar’s mission of nurturing children and strengthening families,” said Gena P. Taylor, Executive Director of Greenbriar. “The holidays are especially important to children and families in need, and we are grateful, once again, to be a beneficiary of the Savannah Boat Parade of Lights which raises essential funding to support critical programs. We are also super excited about another opportunity to be partnering with SCAD and the SCAD SERVE program…they are such an exceptional gift to our community.”