SeeCalifornia.com

If you’re making plans for the upcoming weekend and are looking for illuminating experiences, one of the most popular type of events throughout California is holiday boat parades. Setting sail the first weekend in December are not one, but seven great light shows courtesy of yacht clubs and their members who deck out their boats with fantastic designs. Many clubs have a theme for their annual events usually taking place on weekends in December leading up to Christmas (December 25.)  The public can enjoy this free entertainment by heading to local waterways where the colorful parades go by.

Each year SeeCalifornia.com checks out the Christmas boat parade scene and this year we’ve found around 26 parades from San Diego to San Francisco bays, plus inland lakes and bodies of water such as the California Delta. While the majority are annual events are back again, we noticed that one was canceled in 2018. If you’re looking for Petaluma’s Holiday Lighted Boat Parade scheduled for Dec.14, Petaluma Yacht Club announced it’s not happening due to silting in the Petaluma River.

California Christmas Boat Parades

SAN PEDRO: Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade Saturday, December 1, 2018
Pre-parade events begin at 3 p.m. at Banning’s Landing Community Center in Wilmington.

MONTEREY: Monterey Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Old Fisherman’s Wharf

MORRO BAY: Morro Bay Lighted Boat Parade
Saturday, December 1, 2018
South T-Pier and Embarcadero

OAKLAND: Oakland Lighted Yacht Parade
Saturday, December 1, 2018, 6 p.m.

SANTA CRUZ: Santa Cruz Lighted Boat Parade
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Santa Cruz Harbor

STOCKTON: Delta Reflections Lighted Boat Parade
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Stockton Yacht Club

VALLEJO: Vallejo Lighted Yacht Parade
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Mare Island Straits