SAN DIEGO, CA — Continuing its long-standing San Diego tradition, the 44th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights promises to amaze and entertain bayfront crowds during the evenings of December 13 and 20, 2015. Participants in this year’s highly anticipated holiday boat parade will adorn their boats to fit this year’s theme, “Christmas Around the World.”

Presented by the Port of San Diego, the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights brings more than 100,000 San Diego residents and visitors to the shores of San Diego Bay each year. The procession of approximately 80 lavishly decorated boats has become one of the most iconic events in the region.

Awards are presented to the best decorated boats and those that truly capture the event’s theme. All participants receive a participant plaque and are invited to the awards dinner, held Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, where a wide variety of prizes will be raffled off.

This year’s grand prize is:

  • A luxury cruise package for two with  Star Clippers, whose fleet includes three of the largest full-rigged sailing ships in the world – each with all of the amenities of a private mega-yacht

The “Best in Theme” award is paired with below prize:

  • A five-night getaway package to the five-star Royal Hideaway Playacar Resort through Barcelo-Occidental Hotels & Resorts – a 200 room, luxury, all-inclusive resort with seven specialty restaurants’ and Chef’s Table located in Playa Del Carmen. This resort features a full-service day spa and fitness center, private villa concierge service and an array of water sports including diving, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing

Everyone who participates in both nights of the parade and passes both sets of judges will be eligible to win the above prizes.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. each night, the parade begins at Shelter Island and proceeds to Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, and ends at the Ferry Landing in Coronado. The parade takes about two hours to pass any given point and there are many comfortable waterfront viewpoints along the route. A map of the route is available on the San Diego Bay Parade of Light’s website. Due to increased traffic and parking demand, observers are encouraged to plan ahead or take the trolley.

For added insight into the participating boats, viewers can watch the parade from near the announcers’ areas. Announcers will be located at the Maritime Museum on the Embarcadero and at Coronado Landing. As each boat passes these viewing points, the announcers offer a brief history and description of the participating vessels.

This year there will be judges at two points along the parade route, the Martime Museum and the docks at Poehe’s Restaurant in Coronado. Participating boats must pass both sets of judges to be eligible for prizes.

Boat owners interested in participating in this year’s San Diego Bay Parade of Lights are strongly urged to submit the registration form and the $50 entry fee online at www.sdparadeoflights.org. If participants cannot submit the entry form and payment online, registration forms can be downloaded and submitted to the Bali Hai Restaurant at 2230 Shelter Island Drive. The fee covers both evenings, and watercraft of all sizes are encouraged to participate. For more information, call 619-224-2240 or email questions@sdparadeoflights.org.

 

If interested in sponsoring the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, please contact Joni Geis at

619-823-5220 or via email at joni@boatlenderusa.com.