LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO – It was announced during a press conference today on Friday, April 7 that the Lake of the Ozarks will make a second attempt at breaking the current record for the largest official boat parade in the world on Saturday, June 11, 2022.
The current record, according to Guinness World Records, stands at 1,180 vessels and was set in Terengganu, Malaysia in September 2014. Over the years, there have been many attempts to break the record by different cities, including last year’s attempt at the Lake of the Ozarks, but the 2022 parade organizers say they “are in it to win it” and are confident they can make it happen this June.
“This is an invitation to all boaters from across the country to come to the Lake of the Ozarks and help us break the world record on June 11,” says Lagina Fitzpatrick, executive director for the Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association and one of the organizers of the event. “What better way to spend a summer Saturday than boating on the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks and being part of history?”
“I know that people are excited for us to try again,” Fitzpatrick continued. “As soon as we posted on our website that we were going to do this again, people immediately started registering their boats, so we’re feeling really good about this.”
“Last year we only had three weeks to promote our event but we still ended up with over 600 boats from thirteen different states, so we’re happy with what we were able to accomplish in such a limited time,” Fitzpatrick added. “We learned a lot last year and we have more time to prepare and promote the parade this time around. So, we’re excited to break the world record on June 11.”
According to Fitzpatrick, boaters that participated in the 2021 parade came to the Lake of the Ozarks from across Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
“We have boaters from around the U.S. vacationing at the Lake every year because we’re known for being an exceptional recreational boating lake,” says Fitzpatrick. “Breaking this record would cement our reputation of being the ‘Best Recreational Lake in the Nation’ and it also would be a fun accomplishment for the Lake of the Ozarks, the state of Missouri and the rest of the country because we’ll be bringing the world record to the United States!”
The 2022 boat parade, which will be marshaled by title sponsor Mortgage Headquarters (MHQ), will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 11 and will run from the 3 mile marker near Lake of the Ozarks State Park marina to the 1 mile marker of the Grand Glaize arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. Official adjudicators from Guinness World Records will be on hand during the parade to certify the results and, according to Fitzpatrick, hopefully declare it the largest boat parade in the world the same afternoon.
The parade of boats will be broken into eight sections corresponding to vessel size, from personal watercraft (life jackets required) up to 50-foot cruisers. Participants may launch their vessels for free at the Pa He Tsi Boat Launch at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, where the milling stations will be set up. For the safety of all boaters, every watercraft is required to maintain idle speed throughout the duration of the event. Eight different predetermined milling stations will be set up from the 6 mile marker up to the parade starting point.
All participating vessels must register ahead of time to be counted. Registration for the 2022 boat parade costs $20 per boat and includes an official “Guinness World Records Attempt” flag to fly on each boat during the parade and an official numbered wristband. Parade organizers encourage those interested in participating to register early at www.funlake.com/boat-parade-registration.
For those that want to be part of the boat parade on June 11 but do not have a boat, there are numerous marinas around the Lake of the Ozarks that offer water craft rentals by the hour, the day or the week. More information on boat rentals and marinas can be found at www.FunLake.com.
Any proceeds generated from boat parade registrations will go to the Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council, which seeks to promote water safety at the Lake through educational outreach programs and stressing the importance of wearing properly-fitting life jackets and always having a designated captain. To learn more about the Water Safety Council, its mission and educational events, please visit LoZWaterSafetyCouncil.com.
Anyone traveling to the Lake for the world record attempt will find accommodations to fit every style and budget. There are full-service large-scale resorts and smaller family-owned and operated resorts as well as charming bed and breakfasts or comfortable cabins and cottages. There is no shortage of fully furnished vacation rental homes and condominiums. For those who prefer sleeping under the stars, there are spacious campgrounds and RV parks interspersed throughout the area. For a complete list of accommodations available at the Lake, visit the “Lodging” tab at www.FunLake.com.
For more information on the boat parade, visit www.funlake.com/events/boat-parade.
Visitors also can learn more about all the fun events, attractions and activities, as well as lodging and dining options available all year at the “Best Recreational Lake in the Nation” at www.FunLake.com or by calling the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau at1-800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253).
