Southern California’s second-largest holiday parade — 100+ entries, floats, drill teams, bands, and an estimated 30,000 spectators packing Second Street through Belmont Shore on an early-December Saturday evening.
The Belmont Shore Christmas Parade runs along Second Street in Long Beach each early December and draws an estimated 30,000 spectators — making it, by the organizers’ count, Southern California’s second-largest holiday parade. The route runs east on Second Street from Livingston Avenue to Bayshore Avenue, then loops back west to Livingston, which gives spectators on either side of the street the same view.
The parade itself is the full community works: more than 100 entries including floats designed by Long Beach businesses and organizations, marching bands, drill teams, the Boy Scouts and other youth groups, classic cars, local personalities, and city officials. The route threads the historic heart of Belmont Shore — Livingston, Granada, Argonne — past the neighborhood’s most beloved local restaurants and bars.
For families in Belmont Shore, Naples, Bluff Park, and Alamitos Heights, this is the season’s anchor — the night the rest of the holiday calendar organizes itself around.
Along Second Street in Belmont Shore, east from Livingston Avenue to Bayshore Avenue, then looping west back to Livingston. Both sides of the street get the full parade.
Streets close at 5:00 PM and the parade rolls at 6:00 PM. The full run lasts roughly three hours, with 100-plus entries pacing through.
The beach lots off Ocean Boulevard between Bennett and Granada are the most reliable parking. Many residents bike, walk, or take rideshare in — Second Street itself parks up early in the afternoon.
Yes — sidewalks line the whole route. Crowds run thick in the most-popular blocks near Livingston and Granada; pick a quieter block if you need open space.
Yes. Second Street’s restaurants stay open and many run parade-night specials. Reservations get tight; book ahead if you want a sit-down dinner around the parade rather than street food.
Second Street is the main commercial corridor of Belmont Shore — a walkable beach neighborhood at the southeast edge of Long Beach, between the Belmont Pier and Naples Island. Lined with restaurants, boutiques, and bars across a mile of intact pre-war commercial buildings, it’s been the social heart of southeast Long Beach since the 1920s and one of the city’s most beloved neighborhood corridors. The corridor runs parallel to Ocean Boulevard a block inland, with the beach just south.
Southern California’s holiday lights and festive outings are pure magic — but nothing compares to Santa Claus himself stepping through your own front door. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded, professionally trained Santa to homes and gatherings across SoCal for an intimate live visit your family will treasure for years.
