Lights Over Morse Lake Poker Run
The annual Lights Over Morse Lake Poker Run returns Saturday, August 1, 2026, bringing boaters back to Morse Reservoir for a full day of poker hands, waterfront stops, live music, raffles, and fundraising activities benefiting the Lights Over Morse Lake Festival. Based out of the Cicero Town Docks in front of Boathouse Kitchen & Swan Dive, the summer boating event has become one of the largest annual fundraisers supporting the community’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration.
Organizers describe the Boat Poker Run as one of the biggest boating weekends of the summer on Morse Lake, combining recreational boating, poker-style gameplay, live entertainment, and lakeside social events throughout the afternoon.
Participants will begin the day by checking in and registering between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Cicero Town Docks before launching onto Morse Reservoir for the official poker run beginning at 11:00 a.m.
During the run, boaters will travel between designated lake stops collecting beads at each checkpoint before returning to draw their final poker hands later in the afternoon. Poker hand check-in is scheduled between 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., followed by awards, raffles, and auctions beginning around 2:30 p.m.
In addition to the poker run itself, the 2026 event will feature:
- Prize payouts for the best poker hands
- Large raffle basket giveaways
- Charity auctions featuring donated products and services
- Live music performances at Swan Dive
- Drink specials and marina entertainment
- Waterfront social gatherings throughout the afternoon
Organizers emphasized that the Boat Poker Run serves as the largest annual fundraiser supporting the Lights Over Morse Lake Festival and its Independence Day fireworks show over Morse Reservoir.
“This is the BIGGEST fundraiser of the year for the Lights Over Morse Lake Festival,” organizers stated in the official event announcement. “It helps fund those epic Fourth of July fireworks you love.”
Unlike large offshore poker runs centered around speed competition, the Morse Lake event is designed as a relaxed and family-friendly community boating gathering welcoming pontoons, wake boats, deck boats, cruisers, center consoles, and recreational lake boaters of all experience levels.
Even non-boaters are encouraged to attend the afternoon festivities at Boathouse Kitchen & Swan Dive to enjoy the live entertainment, auctions, raffles, and waterfront party atmosphere while supporting the fundraiser.
Located north of Indianapolis, Morse Reservoir continues to serve as one of Central Indiana’s busiest recreational boating lakes during the summer season, hosting numerous marina events, concerts, fireworks displays, and boating gatherings throughout the year.
Additional event updates and participation information are expected through the Lights Over Morse Lake social media pages leading into the August 2026 event weekend.