The boat parade, being presented by the Neely Henry Lake Association, will take place in conjunction with the First Friday activities, which begin at 5 p.m.

“We’ve had people ask us about putting on a boat parade for a number of years, but until we found a partner in the Neely Henry Lake Association it wasn’t an event we could undertake” said Hugh Stump III, executive director for Greater Gadsden Area Tourism.

The boats will assemble at the Ray Family Park on River Road underneath the I-759 bridge at 6:15 p.m. and at 630 p.m. will parade north up the Coosa to downtown Gadsden, under the three bridges and circle back to the park to disperse. There is no entry fee and there are no prizes or categories.

Prime viewing locations would include the Ray Family Park, the Coosa Boardwalk on Hwy 411 across from Moragne Park and the lawn of City Hall.