A Heaping Helping of Holiday Happenings
Santa Sightings
On the slopes, Santa arrives on skis during the holiday season. So it’s fitting that at the shore, Santa arrives by water.
In Petaluma, Santa will arrive in the Petaluma River Turning Basin by riverboat at 11:30 a.m. on November 30. Shortly thereafter, he’ll use some of that Santa magic to get to Capitola and surf onto the beach aboard an outrigger canoe at noon.
Lighted Boat Parades
Lighted boat parades proliferate in December. We keep collecting more events to add to the list.
Sunday, December 1:
Monterey Lighted Boat Parade, Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club, 5:30-8 p.m.
Friday, December 6:
Lighted Boat Parade in Benicia.
Saturday, December 7:
- Lighted Yacht Parade, Oakland-Alameda Estuary, 5:30 p.m. Benefiting Oakland Firefighters and Alameda County Food Bank. Theme: Let There Be Light. Co-sponsored by Encinal and Oakland Yacht Clubs.
- Lighted Boat Parade, Vallejo YC and waterfront, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
- San Rafael Canal Lighted Boat Parade, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by Marin, Loch Lomond and San Rafael YCs, the Classic Yacht Association, and Friends of the Canal.
- Lighted Boat Parade, South Beach, San Francisco, 6 p.m. Honoring the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. Sponsored by South Beach YC.
- Lighted Boat Parade, Santa Cruz Harbor, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Lynn Hahn Memorial Delta Reflections Lighted Boat Parade, Stockton YC, 5 p.m. $25 entry fee benefits charity.
- Lighted Boat Parade, Riverbank Marina, Sacramento, 6 p.m. Presented by Capital City YC.
- Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, Oxbow Marina, Isleton, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Parade of 1,000 Lights, Long Beach, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 8 and 15:
Parade of Lights, San Diego, 5 p.m. Theme: Comic-Con on the Bay.
Friday, December 13:
Decorated Boat Parade, San Francisco, 6 p.m. Anita Rock to Pier 39 to St. Francis YC. Organized by StFYC.
Saturday, December 14:
- Lighted Boat Parade & Fireworks, Sausalito, 6 p.m.
- New Lighted Boat Parade, Richmond, 6-7:30 p.m. Boats assemble outside RYC/Brickyard Cove breakwater and travel east to Marina Bay/Inner Harbor Basin.
- Winter on the Waterfront and Lighted Boat Parade at the Berkeley Marina. Family fun with free boat rides, real snow and fireworks. Parade begins at 5:30 p.m.
- Lighted Boat Festival, Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay, 6-8 p.m.
- Lighted Boat Contest, Redwood City, 5:30 p.m. Organized by Sequoia YC.
Saturday, December 21:
Lighted Boat Parade, Coyote Point, San Mateo, 5:30 p.m. Viewing along the levee and the berm in front of CPYC. Followed by holiday treats and music at CPYC and special guests arriving by boat. Dinner available at the club.
But First, Thanksgiving!
After today, we’re outta here for the rest of the week. The Latitude 38 office will be closed Thursday-Sunday. We’ll distribute the December issue on Monday, December 2. Happy Thanksgiving!
From one yacht club Santa to many others: We are role models for the children who see us arrive by boat. I suggest we all wear our PFDs. I usually remove mine on the dock, and drape it around a child’s neck. The kids seem to get the message.