The parade is still on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. At 5 p.m. on November 22, the boats will start in the bay and light their way up the Patchogue River to the end, 30 years after the tradition began. The 2026 theme is "A Holly Dolly Christmas," inspired by Dolly Parton and chosen by public vote on Facebook, according to the Long Island Advance.
The waterfront around it is what changed. Last November, the Saturday preview and People's Choice voting took place at Harbor Crab and The Sandbar. This year, the official parade site lists Bayman's Clam Bar and The Patch for that same night. These are the same two waterfront addresses, now under new names and new owners, and both opened within the past six months. If your parade weekend depends on knowing where to park, where to vote, and where to get a table, your notes from last year are out of date.
The Same Saturday, Two New Doors
The Saturday preview is the quieter half of parade weekend, and the more useful one if you're local. The decorated boats tie up for viewing from 5 to 9 p.m. on November 21, and you vote for the People's Choice Award. A water taxi runs between the marinas, so you only have to park once. The parade organizers call it "an excellent, free, family orientated night out."
Here is how the preview-night map changed from one year to the next:
| 2025 preview night | 2026 preview night | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 22 | Saturday, Nov. 21 |
| Hours | 5 to 9 p.m. | 5 to 9 p.m. |
| West bank venue | Harbor Crab | Bayman's Clam Bar, 116 Division St. |
| Baker Place venue | The Sandbar | The Patch, 31 Baker Place |
| Link between them | H2O Water Taxi | Water taxi between marinas |
A water taxi still connects the two stops, and this year it runs between two restaurants that opened in 2026.
Bayman's Clam Bar Took Over Harbor Crab's Spot
Newsday reported that Bayman's Clam Bar opened on June 24 on the western bank of the Patchogue River, in the space Harbor Crab used to occupy. Newsday summed up the name this way:
"It's a bar, serving clams, sourced by local baymen."
Partners Jay Varney and Will Strano took over the property in April. According to Newsday, they left the tiki-style outdoor areas and the upstairs dining room as they were and renovated the main dining room. Both come from long-running local restaurant families. Strano also owns the Dunton Inn in East Patchogue, and Varney's father co-founded Varney's in Brookhaven.
The menu is built around local hard-shell clams. Varney estimated the kitchen shucks at least 500 of them a day. Newsday's July 2026 review listed these prices:
- Littlenecks on the half shell for $1.50 each
- Stuffed top necks for $2.50 each
- White or red chowder at $9 a cup or $12 a bowl
- A whole fried clam appetizer for $18, or a platter with fries for $30
- Clam strips for $14
Prices may have moved since July. Still, for a cold night spent outside watching boats, a $9 cup of chowder is an easy reason to start at Bayman's.
The Patch Replaced The Sandbar on Baker Place
The other end of the water taxi run turned over even faster. The Sandbar was preparing to open along the river in the spring of 2025, according to Greater Long Island. By late May 2026, the Long Island Advance reported that The Patch, a bar and grill, would open in its place at 31 Baker Place. An event listing set the grand opening for May 29, 2026.
The Advance described the food as "elevated comfort." The Patch's own site promotes waterfront dining, live music, cocktails and views of the boats. For parade weekend, the boat views are the point. This year's 30th parade is The Patch's first time hosting preview night.
Sunday Still Belongs to the River's Older Names
For the parade itself, the new venues join a list anchored by the businesses that built the tradition. The parade site credits Dick Blakeslee of The Oar Steak and Seafood Grill with starting it 30 years ago, inspired by the boat parade in Fort Lauderdale. Greater Long Island's 2025 coverage describes the early years as a few boats gathered near The Oar. The Long Island Advance calls it the oldest Christmas boat parade on Long Island.
These are the 2026 viewing sites the parade organizers list:
- Sandspit Park at the Davis Park Ferry Terminal. Free public viewing. This is also where the judges watch boats competing for trophies.
- The Fire Island National Seashore Watch Hill terminal. Free public viewing.
- Drift 82, 82 Brightwood St.
- The Oar, 264 West Ave.
- The Patch, 31 Baker Place.
- Bayman's Clam Bar, 116 Division St.
Each restaurant will run weekend specials, and the organizers strongly recommend calling ahead for reservations. Last year, WUSB 90.1 FM broadcast a soundtrack while the lit boats moved along the river. That's worth checking again closer to the date. The parade site's own advice is direct: "Get there early for the last best night on the river for the year."
If you'd like one more new name for after the boats go by, The Undertow opened this year on South Ocean Avenue. It's a pub and grill from Oogee Wawa bandmates JP Aceto and Jesse Lee, and Greater Long Island reported smashburgers, tacos and a $15 burger-and-fries combo on the menu.
Where the Parade Falls in Patchogue's Season
Parade weekend is the turn from the river season to the Main Street season, and the dates are already set on both sides of it:
- Saturday, Nov. 7. Greater Patchogue's Fall Festival fills Main Street with music, vendors, family activities and food trucks. The Chamber listing says noon to 4 p.m., while the Village calendar says 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. That evening, Patchogue Theatre hosts "The Last Waltz Celebration" at 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Passing of the Sash honors Ken Dobbins, grand marshal of this year's It's a Wonderful Life in Patchogue, at 6 p.m. at Gallo's, 3 E. Main St.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22. Preview night at Bayman's and The Patch, then the 30th parade at 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 28. Patchogue Theatre screens "The Polar Express" with a visit from Santa at 1 p.m. Tickets are listed at $18, fees included.
- Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 13. It's a Wonderful Life in Patchogue returns throughout the Village. The 1940s-themed weekend festival includes holiday shopping, music and live reenactments inspired by the film.
The Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce credits him with helping start the festival several years ago by bringing together the actors who perform in downtown restaurants and shops. The festival's site notes he has lived in Patchogue for nearly 30 years, about as long as the boats have been lighting up the river.
The river changes a little every year, and keeping up with which doors are open on the water is part of knowing Patchogue well. If you're thinking about a home near the Patchogue River, or you just want a local take on how the waterfront is changing, Kate Works is glad to talk it through, whenever you're ready. Start your Long Island home search.
