‘Tis the season of the Christmas boat parades, a Southern California tradition that is not only a visual feast for the eyes but a time to celebrate community, the joy of the holidays and traditions.

So bundle up, grab a warm beverage and decide which boat’s decor deserves the most votes.

Dana Point’s 49th annual Boat Parade of Lights wraps up its three-day run Sunday, Dec. 15, showcasing some 70 boats gliding through the popular harbor.

The Huntington Harbour parade, now in its 62nd year, featured boats cruising on Saturday, Dec. 14, passing hundreds of equally decorated homes surrounding the waterways.  Paul Haase is grand marshal for this year’s “Yacht Rockin’ the Holidays ” themed parade. Sunday will also be the last day to catch that parade.

And then, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, the granddaddy of them all, the 116th annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade will take to the waters in Newport Harbor and promises to dazzle the thousands of people who take up post each year at their favorite “secret” spots surrounding the harbor to watch more than 100 boats pass by.

The parade includes pyrotechnics, synchronized light shows, moving displays and singers and dancers. Organizers say there are at least 50 viewing locations along the 14-mile route.

This year, Newport Beach native Joseph McGinty Nichol, a Hollywood film producer and director professionally known as McG, is the parade’s grand marshal.

While McG, who earlier this year helped reopen a restored Lido Theater, has directed major motion pictures such as “Charlie’s Angels” and “Terminator Salvation,” he also made a mark on his community as the executive producer of “The O.C.,” which was set in Newport Beach.

As a kid in Newport Beach, McG said, the boat parade was a highlight each holiday season. Being named grand marshal is a special thrill, he said.

“Newport Beach truly is the most festive coastal destination in America, and I can’t wait to experience that magic again and share it with everyone who loves this incredible place as much as I do,” he said.

Where to eat during the 2024 Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade

All three boat parades have long histories in their communities and always draw thousands of people watching from beaches, bridges, private docks, homes and piers. They also provide substantial economic boosts for the communities, bringing lots of people to town and the businesses surrounding the parade locations.

The Newport Beach parade generates about $7 million annually, officials said.

For Jim Miller, who operates Coffee Importer and the Scoop Deck, two popular eateries in the Dana Point Harbor, the boat parade is a huge boon for business and awareness of the harbor.

“It’s even better than the Fourth of July every night,” he said. “It’s a fantastic event. Everyone goes all out.”

Thousands visit the harbor and fill the walkways along the marina.

However, the harbor is undergoing a massive $550 million renovation, and work on its marina and parking structure has begun. As a result, parking is harder to find than in past years. On Friday night, spots were almost filled by 5 p.m., Miller said.

“As president of the Dana Point Harbor Merchant’s Association, we worked hard on the parade,” Miller said. “Now that (the group renovating the harbor) have picked it up, they’re keeping the momentum going. It’s a real special evening.”

If you go

The Huntington Harbour Boat Parade starts at 5:15 p.m. Dec. 15. Public viewing from beaches only.

The Boat Parade of Lights in the Dana Point Harbor starts at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 15.

The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade starts about 6:30 p.m. at Tip of Lido Isle, and loops back to that spot, from Dec. 18 to 22.

Vickie McMurchie, president of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, said most of the restaurants at the harbor typically see a 25% boost in sales compared to a non-boat parade weekend.

“The event also brings thousands of visitors, many of whom book chartered trips throughout the weekend,” she said. “Even if it doesn’t translate into immediate sales, it serves as a great way to spotlight our local merchants, retailers and the harbor as a whole, driving future visits. We like to think of the boat parade as the harbor’s Super Bowl.”

The Dana Point boat parade lasts a little more than an hour and can be viewed from the local restaurants, the wharf, the jetty and the Harbor Island Way Bridge. Places fill up quickly, so if no spots are left, check it out from the nearby bluffs or Doheny State Beach.

The parade is led by an Orange County Sheriff Harbor Patrol boat, and just behind that comes Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching’s Dana Pride, an icon in the harbor, and from there, the other 65 or more boats, including some human-powered outriggers.

“It’s what makes the harbor for the holidays,” Miller said. “You can’t have the harbor without the boat parade. What’s different about the parade is that you’re right up close, and you can yell at the people on the boats, and they can yell back. It’s very personal.”

Dick Davidson, of San Clemente, and his 40-foot sailboat, Mahalo III, have participated in the Dana Point parade for more than 30 years.  This year, he’ll have 20 friends and family members on his boat and his wife makes a big pot of chili and hot chocolate for everyone on board to stay warm and toasty.

He said that his favorite thing about participating is seeing the crowds that come out to cheer the boaters on.

Davidson decks the Mahalo III out with LED ropes that drape from its 60-foot mast to the bow and stern to make it look like a giant tree, he said, and he adds icicles along the sides. He used to have a big Santa Claus, but “he quit working a few years ago,” he said.

“We’re not known for our artistic touch,” he added. “We’re not going for any prize; we do it for fun and just to be part of the harbor.”

Leticia Allen, of Dana Point, just came off the waitlist for a slip in the new marina.  This year her Sea Senor’s first time motoring along in the parade.

“It was kind of last minute,” she said as she gathered warm clothes for the first night on Friday. “We just wanted to drive around the harbor and watch it from our boat, but they said we couldn’t do that. So we entered.”

Her husband went to Home Depot and bought lights and “the very last blow-up pirate Santa.”

“We got our boat six months ago,” she said. “It will be really fun.”

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