The 51st annual Boat Parade of Lights will return Dec. 11 through 13, with a “Harboritaville” theme and $10,000 in cash prizes for participating boaters!
DANA POINT — Yes, Christmas is more than a 100 days away when this issue of The Log hits stands Aug. 28. But apparently, it’s never too early to start untangling the lights.
On Aug. 19, Dana Point Harbor announced details for the 51st annual Boat Parade of Lights, giving Southern California boaters an early look at one of the harbor’s biggest holiday traditions.
This year’s parade will take place Dec. 11 through 13 at 6:30 p.m. each night, with a theme that seems particularly appropriate for a Southern California Christmas: “Harboritaville.”
The theme will bring tropical holiday style to the water, with participating boats encouraged to combine festive lights with creative coastal decorations as they make their way through Dana Point Harbor.
There is also more than holiday bragging rights on the line. Participating boaters will compete for $10,000 in cash prizes.
For those who would rather watch the decorated fleet than decorate their own boat, free public viewing will be available along the harbor boardwalk and surrounding park areas. Local charter operators also are expected to offer special cruises providing on-the-water views of the parade.
Parking will be available throughout Dana Point Harbor on a first-come, first-served basis. The harbor’s new parking structure will provide four hours of complimentary parking, with additional parking available in surrounding areas.
The Boat Parade of Lights is part of Dana Point Harbor’s larger Happy Harbor Days celebration, which will once again bring holiday decorations and activities to the waterfront. Harbor traditions include the Merry Kiss Me arch, Boat Rides with Santa and the Holiday Market.
For Southern California boaters, the parade has become an opportunity to celebrate the holidays the way a coastal community knows best: on the water.
So, yes, there are still 100 or so days until Christmas, but there are fewer days until the Boat Parade of Lights.
So, for anyone planning to turn their boat into a floating piece of “Harboritaville,” it might be time to start thinking about those lights.
