ORLANDO, Fla. – The city of Orlando is celebrating 100 years of its iconic swan boats on Lake Eola.
To honor this Swantennial, the city unveiled a gold-wrapped swan boat – in partnership with Wraps for Less. The golden swan is the centerpiece of the celebration.
Visitors to Lake Eola get some respite from the sun and real-feel temperatures as high as 107 under the canopy of their swan boat at Lake Eola Park, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
What we know:
The city of Orlando hosted its Swantennial – celebrating 100 years of its swan boats on Lake Eola, which first launched in 1925 – on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at the Lake Eola Swan Boat Dock.
The celebration pays tribute to long-standing history and the community connection the swan boats bring, the city said.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan unveiled the golden swan boat.
The backstory:
Lake Eola’s swan boats first launched on December 1, 1925 as the first two boats carried up to two dozen passengers each around the lake. The boats launched after Mrs. Bowers of Maitland first requested to add a swan boat dock.
Now, as a park fixture for 100 years, the boats have become synonymous with Lake Eola Park, symbolizing the city’s charm, innovation and commitment to quality recreation for residents and visitors alike, the city said.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from a City of Orlando press release.