At six o'clock on Saturday, December 12, lighted boats leave from near Maritime Museum Louisiana and the Hallelujah chorus waits at the end of the night. In the same minute, the drawbridge that carries LA 22 over the Tchefuncte River changes its rules for boats. From then until morning, it opens whenever a boat signals. Madisonville's Twinkle on the Tchefuncte lighted boat parade runs from 5 to 8 p.m., the boats start at 6, and the course passes back through that bridge before it finishes. For a household in Tchefuncte Estates with a boat at the dock, the bridge's schedule sets the timing of the evening.
A Parade Drawn as a Loop
The course goes downriver and comes back upstream through the bridge. The Visit the Northshore event listing lays out the course in four parts:
- Boats head downriver from Maritime Museum Louisiana on Mabel Drive.
- They continue to Marina del Ray.
- They circle back through the bridge and join the flotilla on the north side.
- Santa arrives by boat and leads the procession to the wall.
After the parade, families can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. The return through the bridge is what makes the loop possible, and it is also why the bridge's timetable matters on parade night.
What the Bridge Schedule Says at Six
The federal rule for this bridge is short. Under 33 CFR 117.500, the drawbridge is listed as the SR 22 Bridge at mile 2.5 in Madisonville. Its weekend schedule reads:
On Saturday and Sunday the draw will operate as follows: From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the draw will open on signal; from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the draw will open on signal on the hour.
So on any Saturday afternoon, a boat that wants through waits for the top of the hour. Once 6 p.m. arrives, the bridge opens on signal at any time, and the parade's start time lands on that switchover. A weekday is much stricter. From Monday through Friday, the bridge does not have to open between 6 and 7:59 a.m. or between 4:01 and 6 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. it opens only on the hour. The Coast Guard set this schedule in a rule that took effect April 7, 2022, published in the Federal Register.
The practical effect is simple. Before 6, the bridge opens only on the hour. After 6, it opens whenever a boat signals, so the evening's timing depends on the parade schedule and not on the bridge. Anyone entering a boat should confirm current bridge operations and river conditions before heading out, since rules and conditions can change.
Entering a Boat From Upriver
Boats are registered by email to Merry Madisonville at [email protected]. The organizers also list a phone number, (985) 845-7311, and post updates on Facebook and Instagram under @MerryMadisonville. The public listing does not give an entry deadline, decorating categories or a captains' meeting, so the organizers' email is the place to get those details before stringing lights. The evening also includes a holiday decorating contest.
For a boat coming down from a dock upriver, the starting point is Maritime Museum Louisiana at 133 Mabel Drive. The museum runs maritime history exhibits, boat-building classes and lighthouse work. Its regular hours are Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The turnaround is at Marina del Ray, 100 Marina Del Ray Blvd. The marina lists slips, dry storage, transient mooring, boat launches and floating docks.
The Bank Side of the Evening
For people watching from shore, last year's Town of Madisonville listing gave the event address as 407 St. Tammany Street and placed the gathering on the Madisonville Riverfront, north side of the bridge, and told guests to bring chairs, blankets and ice chests. That was the 2025 plan. The 2026 listing invites the community to gather along the riverfront for caroling and a finale sing-along of the Hallelujah chorus, billed as an attempt at the largest outdoor performance of the piece on the Northshore.
The listing mentions special eats and treats at participating restaurants but does not name them. Several restaurants sit on the river along the route:
- Tchefuncte's, 407 St. Tammany Street, has a riverfront terrace and boat docking. Executive chef Bronson Waguespack leads what the restaurant calls a new steakhouse chapter.
- The Anchor, at the same address, is the casual option, with outdoor river-view seating and boat docking. It is open Wednesday through Sunday.
- The Wakehouse, 100 Marina Del Ray, is a waterfront bar and grill at the parade's turnaround point. Its kitchen is open Wednesday through Sunday.
- Morton's Seafood Restaurant & Bar, 702 Water Street, is listed by Visit the Northshore as a waterfront seafood restaurant with patio and waterside dining.
December 12 is a Saturday, and every restaurant above lists Saturday service. On parade night, a table with a river view also puts you on the parade route.
Three Winters, One Weather Delay
The parade is young enough that its weather record still matters. The first one was advertised for Saturday, December 16, 2023. NOLA.com reported that high winds and heavy rain pushed it to December 23. A few hundred people still came to the riverfront that night. The program honored two late grand marshals, District Attorney Warren Montgomery and longtime Mayor Peter Gitz, and the night ended with carols by candlelight.
The 2025 parade ran on December 13, with Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser named grand marshal, according to an AN17 preview. NOLA.com's photo coverage showed boats in Christmas and red, white and blue colors for a theme honoring the holidays, the nation's 250th birthday, the military and area first responders. Boats paraded in loops past people on the bank, and families sang carols along the river. No grand marshal has been named for 2026. Since the first year moved by a week, the Merry Madisonville social pages are worth checking in the days before December 12.
Six Days Earlier, on Pine Street
The boat parade is the second of two Merry Madisonville dates this December. The 18th Annual Merry Madisonville Parade & Celebration, hosted by the Town of Madisonville, is on Sunday, December 6. It starts at the same museum but finishes inland.
| Merry Madisonville Parade & Celebration | Twinkle on the Tchefuncte | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, December 6, 2026 | Saturday, December 12, 2026 |
| Start | 2 p.m. at Maritime Museum Louisiana | 6 p.m. from Maritime Museum Louisiana |
| Finish | Town park, 1007 Pine Street | The wall on the riverfront |
| Santa | At the gazebo at 4 p.m. | Arrives by boat to lead the procession |
| Extra | Toys for Tots drive, new unwrapped toys | Caroling and the Hallelujah chorus finale |
The December 6 listing puts the Toys for Tots boxes near the gazebo and the Pine Street park entrance. Both events start at the museum, six days apart, one on Pine Street and one on the river. The second needs a captain who knows the bridge schedule.
If you are thinking about entering a boat this year, or you are curious what it is like to own a home where the parade is a short trip down the river, Puddy Robinson would be glad to talk about life on the Tchefuncte. Let's Connect.
