Coyote Point YC Hosts Peninsula’s Only Lighted Boat Parade

On December 12, Coyote Point Marina will glow once again as the Coyote Point Yacht Club (CPYC) hosts its annual Lighted Boat Parade — a sparkling Peninsula tradition with deep local roots and a modern community twist.

The event will start with a skippers’ meeting at 4:30 p.m. at CPYC, with the parade beginning at 5:30. Skippers and boats of all kinds, club members or not, are invited to participate. The entire public is invited to the waterfront to watch the parade.

A Tradition Lost — and Found Again

For many years, Coyote Point hosted one of the Peninsula’s most charming winter spectacles: a festive flotilla of boats draped in holiday lights, looping through the marina in a pageant of color and creativity. But as participation waned in the early 2000s, the tradition quietly faded away.

It wasn’t until 2017 — when club members realized that no other yacht clubs on the Peninsula were holding a lighted boat parade — that Coyote Point Yacht Club stepped in to revive it. Since then, the parade has returned stronger each year, becoming a rare opportunity for Peninsula residents to enjoy a lighted maritime celebration without crossing the Bay or heading into San Francisco.

A Parade With a Peninsula Personality

Coyote Point’s parade is special, not only because of its accessibility, but because of its interactive spirit.

Spectators can vote for their favorite boat by text message, choosing the highly coveted “Crowd Favorite” award. It’s part community event, part holiday spectacle, and part friendly creative competition — an all-ages celebration that brings together skippers, families and visitors in the warm glow of shared tradition.

Whether you’re decorating a boat, cheering from the shore, or simply strolling the marina to soak in the lights, we welcome you to join us on Friday, December 12.