Lake Oconee Boat Parade

The Massey family and their friends celebrate winning the prize for the most decorated boat at last week’s Lake Oconee boat parade. (LANCE MCCURLEY/Staff)

The Massey family and their friends celebrate winning the prize for the most decorated boat at last week’s Lake Oconee boat parade. (LANCE MCCURLEY/Staff)

Lake Oconee boat parade inspires creative family fun

A local family has taken its deep-rooted love for Independence Day to new heights in the past few years.Matt Massey and his wife, Lanier, have enjoyed hopping on their pontoon boat with friends and family to participate in the Lake Oconee boat parade for the past few years.
This pontoon boat, filled with a lot of patriotic pride, won the prize for the most-decorated boat. LANCE MCCURLEY/Staff

This pontoon boat, filled with a lot of patriotic pride, won the prize for the most-decorated boat. LANCE MCCURLEY/Staff

Freedom, glory fly high at Lake Oconee 4th of July Boat Parade

Freedom and glory kept flying at the fourth annual Lake Oconee 4th of July Boat Parade on Tuesday. The parade took place at the northern end of Lake Oconee in Morgan County near Buckhead. A record 21 boats showed up for this year’s event, and all of them came decked out in patriotic attire.
Patriotic displays of the Stars and Stripes dominated many entries in last year’s July 4th Boat Parade organized by Joe Williamson at the north end of Lake Oconee. LANCE McCURLEY/Staff

Patriotic displays of the Stars and Stripes dominated many entries in last year’s July 4th Boat Parade organized by Joe Williamson at the north end of Lake Oconee. LANCE McCURLEY/Staff

Fun and freedom define 4th annual Lake Oconee Boat Parade

Joe Williamson thought of the idea for an Independence Day boat parade on Lake Oconee a few years ago. Well, the event has become a huge draw for residents on July 4th, who live on the Morgan County side of Lake Oconee. The fun and exciting spectacle is now entering its fourth year of existence.