Decorated yachts, kayaks, and paddleboards parade through Marina del Rey on a single Saturday evening in December — free shoreline viewing for families. Confirm the season’s date and start time at mdrboatparade.org.
The Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade is one of Los Angeles’s longest-running boat parades — a tradition with more than six decades behind it, staged each December on the water of the largest human-made small-craft harbor in North America. Presented by the nonprofit Marina del Rey Tournament of Lights, the format has stayed remarkably constant: on a single evening after dark, a fleet of decorated boats glides through the harbor’s main channel while families watch from the shoreline.
What sets a boat parade apart from the season’s tree lightings and land-based light shows is the setting itself. The main channel becomes a moving stage, and every decoration reads twice — once on the vessel and again as a long reflection stretched across the dark water. The fleet is part of the charm: it ranges from full motor yachts and sailboats down to kayaks and paddleboards, with crews stringing lights, dressing in costume, playing live music, and decorating to that season’s theme, which changes from year to year. The boats move at an unhurried pace, so even small children can follow a single favorite the length of the channel.
Families gather at two main vantage points, each with its own character. Burton Chace Park, on the point at the end of Mindanao Way, is the central spot — a wide waterfront lawn fronting the main channel, closest to the action, where pre-parade family entertainment usually fills the time before the boats appear. Across the water, Fisherman’s Village — Marina del Rey’s Cape Cod–styled waterfront promenade with its landmark lighthouse — is the more relaxed vantage, with restaurants, restrooms, and walkways that make it easy to turn the night into dinner-and-a-parade rather than a stake-out on the grass.
It all adds up to an easy, low-cost holiday outing on the Westside coast: shoreline viewing is free, the marina air turns crisp once the sun is down, and a typical evening opens with an aerial pre-show before the procession begins — though the program and start time are set fresh each season, so it’s worth confirming the year’s details at mdrboatparade.org.
Yes — watching from Burton Chace Park, Fisherman’s Village, or any shoreline vantage point is completely free. Only marina parking is paid.
The evening kicks off with a drone show, and the boat parade itself begins shortly after. The full parade takes about two hours to complete the marina route.
Burton Chace Park at 13650 Mindanao Way is the main viewing area, with pre-parade family entertainment and a wide grass lawn fronting the parade route. Fisherman’s Village is a strong second option with food and restrooms nearby.
Marina county lots near Burton Chace Park (Lot #4 at 13500 Mindanao Way, Lot #77 at 13560 Mindanao Way) offer paid event parking. Arrive early — lots fill 60+ minutes before parade start.
Yes — the parade evening starts with an aerial drone display over the marina, setting the stage just before the first boats appear. It’s a recent addition that has become a fan favorite for kids.
Marina del Rey is North America’s largest human-made small-craft harbor, carved from the Playa del Rey wetlands along the Westside coast of Los Angeles County. After decades of failed commercial-port proposals dating to the 1880s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a small-craft design, and the harbor and its breakwater were officially completed in 1965. Owned by Los Angeles County and home to thousands of pleasure boats, the marina remains a recreation hub for sailing, paddling, and waterfront dining, with Burton Chace Park at its center.
Marina del Rey’s Holiday Tree Lighting at Burton Chace Park — the marina-front tree lighting paired with the Marina Lights display and the annual Holiday Boat Parade.
Brian J. Cook
Marina Del Rey’s New England-style waterfront village — Fisherman’s Village — runs free weekend holiday programming through December each year: live music every weekend, photos with Santa and his elf, a Letters-to-Santa station, holiday décor along the boardwalk, and prime free viewing of the Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade. Free, family-friendly, and harbor-walkable.
Brian J. Cook
Venice’s hidden canals — modeled on Venice, Italy — dress up for the holidays with twinkling lights on every bridge and home, plus a first-weekend-of-December boat parade, all free to walk.
Brian J. Cook
Venice’s official holiday lighting tradition — the historic Venice Sign changes from white to red and green for the season, with live music, photos with Santa, and the surrounding Windward Avenue activation.
Brian J. Cook
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.
Check Availability
Have a date in mind? Tell us when and where, and we’ll let you know whether Santa is open. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded Santa Claus to Live Visits and Group Experiences across Southern California, and December fills quickly, so the sooner you check, the better your odds of locking in your first choice.
This is a quick availability check, not a booking. Nothing is reserved and nothing is owed until we’ve confirmed your date and you’ve placed your retainer.
