The Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade contest was won by a boat with “Let’s go, Brandon” light signals, at least for a few hours.
The winning boat also featured “FJB” in white lights, a reference to “F*** Joe Biden,” so the non-profit organization that sponsors the parade, the Yorktown Foundation, has disqualified the vessel shortly after the festive event.
Walt Akers, a member of the Yorktown Foundation has apologized to the community and event sponsors for what he called “a huge mistake.”
“We profoundly apologize for what happened, and we deeply regret that this happened at all. And we’re going to take actions to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future,” Akers said.“
Even though some people were angry about the fact that the organizers allowed politics to overshadow a long-running Yorktown Christmas event, some people were joining the crew in the “Let’s go, Brandon” chant as the vessel was passing by.
A York County resident named Teri Hodson, who also attended the event, said that “It was disheartening,” adding that “It just breaks the spirit.” As she was earlier at the bonfire, among families with children with people dressed up for the holiday festivities “and I thought, how blessed am I?” But when the vessel arrived, those feelings disappeared, she said.
“That sentiment on that boat lit up in lights — F Joe Biden — was the antithesis of the Christmas spirit,” she said, saying that people had to explain to kids what the “Let’s Go Brandon” slogan meant.
After the Yorktown Foundation stripped the boat of its “Best in Show,” the boat that was given the award was called “Peace on Earth” which featured singing angels in white.
The foundation’s six-member board decided that the long-running Christmas event should continue, but only if organizers ban political messages on participating vessels.
“We’ve asked the Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade to provide us with a list of the steps that they’re going to take to ensure that this will never happen again,” said Akers.