Trump 74th Birthday: MAGA Boat Parade With Thousands Of Participants Set In Michigan

A day ahead of President Donald Trump's 74th birthday Sunday (June 14), a "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) boat parade has been planned in Detroit, Michigan, where thousands are expected to participate.

Organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and Michigan Trump Republicans 2020, the boat parade is set for 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday (June 13). Supporters of the president plan to embark from the MacRay Harbor to the Ambassador Bridge, but those who don't own boats may also join the motorcade on Jefferson Avenue.

More than 800 individuals, so far, have expressed their intention of going to the MAGA boat parade while 3,300 said they were interested in joining, according to the Facebook event page. The group is also expecting a number of seaplanes, helicopters, and drones as the organizers want this to be "the biggest boat parade yet," per the Detroit Metro Times.

"Truthfully, with everything we’ve been through (with) the COVID-19 crisis, I think that people are really just excited that Michigan is opening back up on Monday and that it’s summer in Michigan,” Matt Seely, the spokesperson for the Michigan Conservative Coalition, said. “The Great Lakes are beautiful and everyone wants to get on their boat."

But Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has not yet allowed a gathering of more than 250 people outside despite easing her lockdown orders to slowly reopen the state. The parade organizers, however, said that the event will take place regardless of the governor's restrictions.

Trump boat parades have been a common sight in the president's re-election bid, according to Politico. It was originally hatched by MAGA devotees from South Florida and soon caught the wave in Arizona, South Carolina, and Southern California as the summer season rolled.

"The boat parades are essentially recreating Trump rallies, but with social distancing built in,” Michigan Republican consultant John Sellek said, citing that these boat campaigns appeal to working-class voters in Michigan.

"[These] working-class voters in Michigan, whose goal is to have a boat, like a lot of people," Sellek said. "Those folks are out there in force boating and fishing and having a great time as much as they can, and they’re the ones who crossed over and voted for Trump in 2016."