December 2026 — Guntersville Christmas Parade & Boat Parade of Lights

Guntersville Christmas Parade & Downtown Tree Lighting

The annual Guntersville Christmas Parade steps off around December 12 at 5 PM in downtown Guntersville, Alabama. Floats, marching bands, and community groups wind through Gunter Avenue past the historic courthouse square. The parade draws families from across Marshall County and kicks off the holiday season on the lake.

Earlier in the month, the downtown tree lighting ceremony takes place around 5:30 PM on the courthouse lawn, typically in the first week of December. Hot chocolate, carolers, and a visit from Santa set the tone for the season in this small lakeside town.

Christmas Boat Parade of Lights at City Harbor

Following the downtown parade, the Christmas Boat Parade of Lights launches from City Harbor on Lake Guntersville. Dozens of boats decorated with thousands of LED lights, inflatable characters, and holiday themes cruise past the harbor and shoreline. The flotilla of illuminated vessels reflecting off the dark water is one of the most memorable sights of the holiday season in North Alabama.

Spectators line the City Harbor seawall, and many boaters join the viewing flotilla on the water. Guntersville Getaway guests can watch from the private dock or take the boat out for a front-row seat on the lake.

More December Events in the Region

• Whole Backstage Theatre holiday productions in Guntersville — seasonal plays and musicals through December
• Arab Christmas in the Park — over 2 million lights on display through December 31 in nearby Arab, Alabama
• Huntsville Galaxy of Lights at the Botanical Garden — drive-through and walking tours of illuminated displays
• Downtown Guntersville shops and restaurants open late for holiday shopping evenings

Winter Crappie Fishing Peaks on Lake Guntersville

December is prime time for crappie on Lake Guntersville. As water temperatures settle into the upper 40s and low 50s, crappie stack up in deep creek channels at 15 to 40 feet. Brown Creek, Short Creek, North Sauty Creek, and the Siebold Creek channel on the south end all hold concentrations of fish through the winter months.

The go-to presentation is a 1/32-ounce hair jig or small tube below a tungsten drop-shot weight, slow-dropped to the depth where fish are marking on electronics. Vertical jigging with LiveScope or traditional sonar is the most efficient approach. December crappie often run 10 to 14 inches, with plenty of slabs in the 1.5 to 2 pound class mixed in.

Bass Fishing in December

Largemouth bass on the 69,000-acre reservoir slow down but remain catchable for patient anglers. Jigs, blade baits, and underspins fished on main lake points and channel swing banks in 12 to 20 feet produce quality bites. The afternoon warm-up period from 1 to 3 PM often triggers the best window of activity when surface temps bump up a degree or two.

Eagle Nesting Begins

Bald eagles begin their nesting season along the Tennessee River corridor in December and January. Nesting pairs stake out tall loblolly pines and hardwoods near the lake, laying eggs in December and January. Look for massive stick nests in the treetops along the main channel and in the back of creek arms. Lake Guntersville supports one of the densest wintering eagle populations in the southeastern United States.