How many trips does it take to catch Surf City's big Town and Chamber holiday events this year? Two Saturdays, exactly two weeks apart, and nearly every stop on both is Soundside Park at 517 Roland Ave.
On Saturday, November 21, the Town puts its holiday market and its Tree Lighting at Soundside on the same day. On Saturday, December 5, the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism holds its Christmas Market at the park, and the Topsail Christmas Flotilla pulls into the sound that evening. The second weekend is the one that changed. The flotilla is running more than a week earlier than it has in recent years, so the holiday season's busiest day lands in early December, while the house is still full of Thanksgiving leftovers.
The boats moved up on the calendar
The Topsail Christmas Flotilla has run in the middle of December for the past two seasons. This year it doesn't.
| Year | Flotilla date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Saturday, Dec. 14 | Chamber winners report |
| 2025 | Saturday, Dec. 13 | Chamber fifth-annual announcement |
| 2026 | Saturday, Dec. 5 | Chamber 2026 event listing |
The Chamber pairs the flotilla with its Christmas Market, so both moved together. In its August 24 announcement, the Chamber set the market for Soundside Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 5, with the flotilla due to pass the park at about 6 p.m., weather permitting.
The Chamber also waived all boat registration fees this year because of high fuel costs, according to its 2026 flotilla listing. Spots go first come, first served, and every captain has to attend a captains meeting unless other arrangements are made. If you have a boat and a box of lights in the garage, this is the cheapest year to enter.
With the boats in early December, the whole season runs on a tight schedule. The first weekend starts the night before the first Saturday.
Weekend one opens with a movie on Friday night
The Town's Movie in the Park shows Elf at Soundside Park on Friday, November 20, starting at sundown. Bring a blanket or folding chairs. Soundside has an amphitheater, picnic shelters, restrooms and a water station, according to the Town's Parks, Recreation and Tourism program guide.
Saturday, November 21 is built as one long day at the park:
- 9 a.m. to noon: the Sounds of the Season Holiday Market. On its market page, the Town calls it "a festive morning of local shopping, community, and seasonal cheer before our annual Tree Lighting celebration that evening." Booths are 10-by-10 spaces for local vendors and makers, and each one costs $25.
- 4 to 7 p.m.: the Tree Lighting at Soundside Park. Surf City Parks, Recreation & Tourism runs it and can be reached at 910-328-4887.
The four hours between the two leave time for lunch and a nap, or for running new ornaments home from the morning market before the lights go on.
A Sunday supper in Hampstead rounds out the weekend
The Chamber has added one more date to that weekend, on the mainland. On Sunday, November 22, Chamber members and the Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island will prep, cook and serve the Sunday Afternoon Supper at Share the Table. The Chamber's networking groups are taking part too, including WomenConnect, Topsail Young Professionals and the Men's Business Alliance. Cooking starts at 2 p.m., and service begins at 4:30 p.m. The Chamber's event listing says some guests stay to eat and many pick up carry-out meals.
Share the Table serves this meal every Sunday at 21 Perkins Road in Hampstead. Doors open at 4 p.m., and the meal runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The organization says the meal is open to anyone who is hungry or lonely, with no eligibility requirements. If you want to help, the Chamber's announcement lists two volunteer shifts: 2 to 4 p.m. for prep and cooking, and 4 to 6 p.m. for serving and packing carry-out meals.
Then you get a quiet stretch with Thanksgiving in the middle, and the calendar fills back up on December 5.
Saturday, December 5, hour by hour
The second Saturday starts across town, ends on the water, and runs for most of the day.
- 10 a.m. to noon: Christmas Bike Ride with Santa at the Earl G. & Inez Batts Recreation Complex, on the Town's December calendar.
- 11 a.m.: the Topsail Christmas Market opens at Soundside Park, with vendors from around the region selling home décor and Christmas gifts. The Chamber lists music and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.
- 5 p.m.: the flotilla leaves Bush Marina in Topsail Beach and heads down the Intracoastal Waterway.
- About 6 p.m.: the boats reach the water off Soundside Park, weather permitting.
- 7 p.m.: the market closes.
Note the hour between items 4 and 5. The boats arrive while the market is still open, so you can shop, eat and then walk to the water for the arrival without packing up and driving somewhere else. The Chamber says the flotilla is free for the public to attend.
What sails into the sound at six
The flotilla is a young event that grew out of an older habit. An RCI + Topsail retrospective on the 2019 edition called it the first official flotilla, following an unofficial tradition among local boaters, and the Chamber counted the 2025 parade as its fifth annual.
The boats get judged, and the Chamber awards prizes to the top three entries. The recent winners give a good idea of what to expect:
- 2024: 13 captains took part. First place went to a Santa sleigh pulled by marlin, second to a Santa-and-reindeer boat, and third to a Christmas pirate display, according to the Chamber's winners report.
- 2025: Pink Pirate Ghostship won first, Reason for the Season took second, and a Grinch display came in third, per the Chamber's 2025 results.
Pirates have placed two years running. Whether this year's free registration brings out more boats than the 13 that ran in 2024 will show on the water on the 5th.
Soundside is set up for watching boats. The Town's program guide lists a boardwalk, a fishing pier, a public boat ramp and an ADA kayak and paddleboard launch along the sound, with a playground and public parking on the land side. The amphitheater and picnic shelters give you a place to settle with the kids and a bag of market cookies while you wait for the first lights to come down the waterway from Topsail Beach.
If December 5 brings bad weather, the Chamber's own wording makes the flotilla weather dependent. Its 2026 listing is the place to check that afternoon, or call the Chamber at 910-329-4446.
Lights on the water at dusk make one of the best photos the island offers all year. I'll be at Soundside for the boats on December 5, so if you see me on the boardwalk with a camera, come say hello. And if you ever want to talk about life here on the sound, any time of year, Kelly Peedin would love to hear from you. Let's Connect.
