Boats light up the North West Arm Saturday night for century-old tradition to mark the end of Summer

Venetian Night is a historical tradition in the Halifax Marina – and many other marinas around North America – inspired by boat parades in Venice, Italy and across Europe. The illumination of the North West Arm has been happening since the 1890s and is a farewell to the summer celebrations in the harbor.  

Starting at 7, many decorated sailboats paraded themselves past the marinas of the North West Arm, some with inflatable unicorns in tow, blasting party music to trigger the sound-sensored lights making their way up the mast.  

I found myself aboard The Black Pearl where the owner had lights and a fog machine reminiscent of DJ nights at the downtown nightclubs, looking over the field of boats whose masts were adorned with various colours and types of string lights. For the duration of the parade, boaters and land-dwellers shot off a display of fireworks that put the Fleet Week pyrotechnics show to shame.  

I pledged my vote to rename this night “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Day”