December 1, Oakland/Alameda: This year, San Francisco Bay Ferry invites the public to ride its Alameda/Oakland service as part the Lighted Yacht Parade.
There are several Bay Area opportunities in December to either view or participate in lighted boat parades. Photo by Gary Ferber
Published: December, 2012
December 1, Oakland/Alameda: This year, San Francisco Bay Ferry invites the public to ride its Alameda/Oakland service as part the Lighted Yacht Parade. The public can participate in the festivities by riding the Alameda/Oakland ferry, which will also be entered into the competition. The special Lighted Yacht Parade ferry service is only available from the Alameda Main Street ferry terminal located at 2990 Main Street. The ferry departs from Main Street at 5:15 p.m. and returns to the terminal at 6:45 p.m.
As in past years, the ferry service is collecting toys onboard for the Toys for Tots program. As a special thank you, customers donating a toy may ride the parade ferry for free. Fares for all other riders are: adults $6.25; youth (5 to 12 years old) $3.50; children under 5 ride for free; seniors, the disabled, and Medicare recipients receive a discounted price of $3.10. Please note that Clipper cards are not accepted for this event. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis; tickets may be purchased onboard the ferry. Onboard food and beverage service will also be available. Free parking will be provided at the Main Street terminal.
December 1, Vallejo: There will be a lighted boat parade at 6:15 p.m. as part of Vallejo’s Mad Hatter Holiday Festival. See page 22 for more information.
December 8, Sausalito: Sausalito’s Lighted Boat Parade will light up the waterfront on Saturday, December 8. First, you can begin your evening at 5 p.m. at the Big Tent and Waterfront Park in downtown Sausalito. The entrance fee to the heated Big Tent is $10 per person, or you can bring a bag of food to donate to the San Francisco Marin Food Bank. The Big Tent will feature food trucks and a no-host bar, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the food bank. At 8 p.m., a dance party with TV20 host Jim Gabbert will start rocking. And the Lighted Boat Parade award ceremony will be take place at 10 p.m. There will also be a fireworks display at the end of the parade, with the exact timing determined by the quantity of the boats participating.
December 14, San Francisco: The Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District and the St. Francis Yacht Club join once again to present a lighted holiday boat parade on San Francisco Bay. Beginning at 6 p.m. on December 14, more than 60 boats festooned with lights and holiday decorations will parade along the waterfront.
A holiday tradition since 1994, the parade includes members of the St. Francis Yacht Club, Fisherman’s Wharf Fishing Fleet, Golden Gate Yacht Club, PIER 39 Marina, and the Sea Scouts. The Fisherman’s Wharf Fishing Fleet will remain lit throughout the holiday season.
The parade route will begin just off of PIER 39, and proceed west past Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Mason, and the St. Francis Yacht Club, turning around at Crissy Field to return along the waterfront. Restaurants along Fisherman’s Wharf, in addition to offering a fantastic vantage point, will feature traditional holiday menus. Spectators can also enjoy wonderful views from Aquatic Park, PIER 39, the Marina Green, and Crissy Field, with best viewing of this spectacular display at the Sport Fishing Harbor along Jefferson Street between Jones and Taylor.
