Sunday was the annual Christmas Concert by the Anna Maria Island Community Chorus and Orchestra, and, as usual, the show was a triumphant presentation of holiday classical music. Under the direction of renowned Maestro Alfred Gershfeld, the Chorus and Orchestra brilliantly performed holiday selections by Vivaldi, Mozart and Handel to a packed house at Crosspointe Fellowship in Holmes Beach. However, the day before on Saturday, AMICCO held its dress rehearsal, putting in hours and hours of hard work to make the concert the world-class success that it is. This year, The Sun was granted access to the rehearsal, and contributing photographer Marty Morrow spent the better part of Saturday morning taking pictures from just about every angle possible as the session unfolded. When it was over, Morrow, who had never heard AMICCO perform, said it was a profoundly moving experience and one that he couldn’t describe in words. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to because his photographs speak volumes.

- Mike Field

Festive, twinkling boats sailed the Intracoastal Waterway in brisk holiday weather during the Cortez Yacht Club’s lighted boat parade on Saturday night.

Observers bundled up and enjoyed the display from the Seafood Shack restaurant, the Cortez Bridge and Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.

Peter Robinson, of Holmes Beach, took the grand prize for “Joy to the World,” depicting a herald angel hovering over the Earth in a sea of twinkling blue lights on his 22-foot sailboat.

Three participants won $100: Diane "Dee" Brady, of Anna Maria, won for the entertainment her 32-foot Power Cat boat and crew provided, including Santa Claus dancing atop the tiki bar. Rich Cipriano, of Sarasota, won for a creative approach to “Blue Christmas" complete with Elvis and a guitar player on his 37-foot sailboat. Colin Cunninghame Graham, of Bradenton, and three of his children won for use of lights and a huge snowman on his 23-foot power boat.

Honorable Mention and $50 went to Justin Gregory, of Bradenton, for running the parade in a decorated Craig Cat personal water craft.

The parade was sponsored by The Anna Maria Island Sun and the Cortez Yacht Club.