A Season Aglow: Orange County’s Dazzling Christmas Lights, Boat Parades and Light Festivals
- Sharon Stello
- 8 hours ago
- 13 min read
Whether on the water or on foot, Orange County offers countless ways to bask in the glow of holiday lights.
Walking or driving through neighborhoods to see all the homes decked out in Christmas lights is a treasured tradition at the holidays. But there are many other options to explore for reveling in bright decorations that illuminate Orange County’s cold winter nights.
From boat parades, harbor cruises and floating lights that shimmer across the water to drone shows and entertaining events that incorporate walking paths filled with dazzling displays, these glistening scenes are perfect for creating memorable moments – and taking a few holiday selfies.
So gather up your friends or family and head out to these holiday happenings to make things merry and bright this year.
Water Wonderlands
Participants in the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. Photos courtesy of Visit Newport Beach
Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade
When: 6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 17-21
Where: Newport Harbor
Cost: You can view the parade for free from shore either from one of the public access areas along the harbor. You can also book at table at one of the many restaurants that line the harbor, or by ship either in the parade or stationary in the bay for a cost. Visit the website for details.
Information: christmasparadeboats.com
Out of all these events, perhaps the best known is the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, which returns for its 117th edition this year, organized by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Each night, more than 100 elaborately decorated boats will make their way along a 14-mile route through Newport Harbor, starting and ending at the southeastern tip of Lido Isle.
Many vessels often feature live music, moving displays and other over-the-top additions to fit the parade’s theme – this year’s it’s Magical Night of Lights – or create their own motif.
“Some have live actors, some have singing – a chorus – and others will have the Grinch or Santa Claus on board. So they’re just fun to watch,” said Steve Rosansky, president and CEO of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.
The watercraft aren’t limited to yachts, but include boats of all sizes and even festive kayaks and canoes. Awards are presented in a variety of categories for boats and also for decorated harbor homes in the Ring of Lights competition.
The parade, which features fireworks to kick off the first night at 6:15 p.m. over Newport Pier and drone shows over two locations nightly, can be seen from nearly 50 locations along the parade route. Set up a chair in harborside Marina Park, reserve a table at a waterfront restaurant to dine while watching, join a harbor cruise or stake out a spot on the sidewalk. A map of the route and public viewing locations (as well as a schedule) are available on the event website.
Fireworks and drone shows are a part of the festivities at the Newport Harbor. Photos courtesy of Visit Newport Beach
Drone shows are set to take place over Balboa Bay Resort (at 6 and 8:15 p.m. Dec. 17 and then at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. on the other four nights) and over Peninsula Park near the Balboa Fun Zone (at 6:45 and 8 p.m. all five nights). Each drone show will last 15 minutes, which is longer than in the past two years, according to Rosansky. “They’re much brighter, too, so the images will be much crisper,” he said.
New this year is a Battle of the Bay, patterned after an ongoing rivalry between the two high schools in town. “We decided let’s riff off of that and try to have different groups compete against each other,” Rosansky said. “Several hotels that will have entries in the boat parade and they’ll compete for a … perpetual trophy.” Judges, who determine all of the award winners, will decide the battle’s victor.
The parade’s first night features festivities from 4-8 p.m. at Marina Park, including an opening ceremony and annual Holiday Market filled with dozens of local makers for gift shopping, as well as food vendors, live music and other entertainment, photo opportunities and kids activities.
This year’s opening night Grand Marshal is Newport Beach native Ted McGinley, known for his roles on TV show classics like “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat,” “Married … with Children” and, most recently, the Emmy-nominated “Shrinking.” On the parade’s first night, he’ll ride on the official Grand Marshal boat.
Rosansky says what makes the Newport parade stand out is its length, covering most of the harbor’s circumference, the number of participants – usually 80 to 100 boats – the quality of large vessels that are very well decorated and, of course, the history of this event that has gone on for more than a century.
“At some points it was in the summertime – it wasn’t called the Christmas Boat Parade,” Rosansky said. “They kind of moved it around a little bit. During World War II, they shut it down for a (while) …. During lights out, you can’t have a lit parade in the harbor. But generally speaking, it’s been pretty continuous.”
And, it’s a family tradition, he added. “Lots of people have been celebrating this for multi-generations,” he said. “It’s something that connects the young and the old.”
His advice? “Dress warm, get here early and find a good spot to watch the parade from.”
Dana Point's Boat Parade of Lights. Photo courtesy of Dana Point Harbor Partners
Boat Parade of Lights
When: Starts at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12-14
Where: Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern, Dana Point
Cost: The public is welcome to view the parade from the boardwalk and park areas for free. For a cost, reserve a table with a view from one of the harbor’s waterfront restaurants, or hop aboard a special boat parade charter. Visit the website for details.
Information: danapointharbor.com
Another boat parade takes place in south OC’s Dana Point Harbor. The 50th annual Boat Parade of Lights runs Dec. 12-14, starting at 6:30 p.m. each night near the wharf with a theme of Golden Jubilee – Carol of the Bells. Participants deck out their vessels for a chance to win $10,000 in cash awards across several categories. Watch the parade from the public boardwalk and park areas, reserve a table at a waterfront restaurant or hop aboard a specially chartered boat to view the parade from out on the harbor.
However, the boat parade isn’t the only festive happening at Dana Point’s waterfront this season. Dubbed Happy Harbor Days, a holiday light display featuring more than 700,000 LED bulbs, brightens the coastal area from Nov. 12 through Jan. 4. This winter wonderland features a giant whale, illuminated 60-foot-tall palm trees, a #happyharbordays sign and “Merry Kiss Me” arch, perfect for those social media posts. Meanwhile, for Hanukkah, a large menorah display will be lit from Dec. 14-22 at the Dana Point Fishing Pier.
Several special events are also planned throughout the month of December including Harbor After Dark with exclusive food and drink specials, live music and extended shopping hours until 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, plus Boat Rides with Santa hosted by Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching on Dec. 6. For a $5 donation, take photos with Santa on this adventure at sea; proceeds benefit Soroptimist International Capistrano Bay and reservations are required at danawharf.com.
Back on land, take pet photos with Santa on Dec. 13 and 15, join a holiday-themed sing-along at 10 a.m. Dec. 19 and shop at a Holiday Market with local artisans, live music and photos with Santa on Dec. 20. For more details, visit danapointharbor.com.
Some of the holiday lights that can be seen from the Cruise of Lights in Huntington Harbour. Photo courtesy of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County
Cruise of Lights
When: Cruise times 5:30, 6:30 & 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19-23
Where: Huntington Harbour, 16889 Algonquin St., Huntington Beach
Cost: Cruise tickets are $26 for adults and $19 for children ages 2-12 (discounts for Dec. 19 tickets.) Free public viewing along sidewalks on a handful of bridges over the channels of Huntington Harbour and a few small parks nearby.
Information: cruiseoflights.org
Huntington Beach is also home to a holiday boat parade Dec. 13-14, but it isn’t publicized as much as the others due to a lack of public areas for big crowds to view the parade. However, those determined to watch might find a spot along sidewalks on a handful of bridges over the channels of Huntington Harbour and a few small parks nearby. Or visit hhboatparade.org for a livestream to watch from home.
Perhaps the best option comes the following week, when the 63rd annual Cruise of Lights – a major fundraiser for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County – allows locals and visitors alike to take a 50-minute narrated tour to see the parade’s boats, which are docked at homes in the harbor or out on the water. Notably, many of the homes are also decorated, adding to the merry atmosphere. (The Philharmonic Society also organizes the boat parade and gives out awards for the best decorated boats and homes in many categories, in order to have plenty of festive lights for cruise participants to see.)
Cruises aboard whale watching boats are scheduled Dec. 19-23, at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. each night. Shuttles leave from Huntington Harbour Mall’s back parking lot at 16889 Algonquin St., Huntington Beach. Ticketholders are bused to Huntington Harbor Yacht Club, where their boat departs for the cruise.
“We have a narrator on each boat and they point out a little bit of the history of the harbor as well as award-winning boats,” said Kim Weddon, co-chairman of the Cruise of Lights. “There’s a lot of animation, a lot of color. This year’s theme is Fun With Music. I think that it will be an amazing array of colorful decorations. We follow the best routes that give us more award winners and fewer dark homes.”
Tickets are $26 for adults and $19 for children ages 2-12 (with a discounted price of $24 for adults and $17 for children on Dec. 19), and free for babies and toddlers under 2 years old on all days, when accompanied by an adult ticketholder. The tickets may be purchased at cruiseoflights.org or by calling the Philharmonic Society office at 714-840-7542. If still available, tickets may also be purchased on-site on the cruise nights.
Proceeds benefit the Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, which introduce students in both public and private schools to high-quality band and orchestra music through a variety of age-appropriate experiences. In fact, more than 6 million children in kindergarten through high school have participated in these programs over the past six decades, thanks to community support of fundraisers like the Cruise of Lights.
Through these music outreach efforts, second graders go on a field trip to see a concert. This year, they attended a performance of “The Great American Band” by the Southern California Brass Consortium; this 45-minute concert included different styles of music from marches to jazz, opera, ragtime, movie and pop music. Among the other programs, third graders get hands-on experience with orchestra instruments on music mobiles and fifth graders attend a concert by the Philharmonic Society’s Orange County Youth Symphony at Segerstrom Concert Hall, a world-class venue where the society also presents a festival for high school orchestras to perform on stage. Additionally, the society’s Huntington Harbour Committee gives a portion of proceeds from all of its fundraising events back to local schools to replace aging instruments, buy new cases or anything else the music programs may need.
So those going on the Cruise of Lights can enjoy their tour of holiday lights around the harbor while feeling good about making a difference for local students.
Lighting of the Bay in Newport Beach. Photo courtesy of Newport Dunes Resort & Marina
Lighting of the Bay and Fire & Lights Festival
When: Thursday - Sunday evenings through Jan. 4 from 4-9 p.m.
Where: Newport Dunes, 1131 Back Bay Dr, Newport Beach
Cost: Admission is free, but there is a cost for parking: free for the first half hour, $15 for up to two hours and $20 for up to four hours.
Information: newportdunes.com
Another seasonal celebration on the water, the 35th annual Lighting of the Bay can be enjoyed simply by driving by or parking at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina to get a closer look. More than 50 Christmas trees and other festival displays made of colorful lights sparkle and reflect on the water as they seem to float on the Back Bay in Newport Beach. Lighting of the Bay begins at dusk each night during the holiday season.
Newport Dunes also hosts the Fire & Lights Festival on Thursday through Sunday evenings from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4 from 4-9 p.m. (Admission is free, but there is a cost for parking: free for the first half hour, $15 for up to two hours and $20 for up to four hours.) Watch mesmerizing fire dancing performances every Friday and Saturday night at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. These shows are free to all visitors as well as photos with Santa every Saturday through Christmas from 5-8 p.m.
Giant inflatables, including a Toboggan Tunnel, Giant Snowzilla slide and Gingerbread Slide, will be set up for festive fun with single-ride tickets and unlimited wristbands available for purchase. Minimum height, weight and sock requirements apply.
The festival also includes an Igloo Bar where attendees may purchase seasonal sips and snacks from hot chocolate to apple cider, hot toddies and soup to warm up on a chilly night. Guests may also relax around waterfront fire pits to roast marshmallows and make s’mores; kits are available for purchase with all the s’mores fixings, but sometimes sell out so it’s best to buy them earlier in the evening (and no outside food is permitted).
Newport Dunes also presents Santa’s Garden, a holiday tree lot featuring fresh, hand-picked Noble, Nordmann, Grand and Douglas fir trees as well as Noble wreaths and garlands from northern Oregon. The lot is open daily from Nov. 24 through Dec. 21 with hours usually running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit newportdunes.com.
Shimmering Scenes
The Capistrano Lights holiday event. Photo courtesy of Mission San Juan Capistrano
Capistrano Lights
When: Dec. 19-30
Where: Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano
Cost: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children (age 4 and under are admitted free), with a discounted price for mission members
Information: capistranolights.com
Of course, not all of Orange County’s luminous holiday events are on the water. Capistrano Lights: Mission in Lights takes place at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano on Fridays through Tuesdays from Dec. 19-30 and features a nightly Christmas tree lighting and music program, other enchanting light features, a full-scale nativity scene, selfies with Santa (through Dec. 23), activities for children, Dickens-era carolers and live holiday performances including a harpist in the Serra Chapel, which dates back to the 1780s.
Tickets, available at capistranolights.com, are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children (age 4 and under are admitted free), with a discounted price for mission members. All proceeds help protect this California landmark – which will mark its 250th anniversary next year – and support further exhibits, educational programs and preservation efforts. Holiday programming runs from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., but event tickets provide all-day entry to the mission from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and includes a multilanguage Capistrano Lights audio tour with the Gospel and “The Night Before Christmas” readings. A special opening night ceremony is planned at 4:50 p.m. Dec. 19. On each event night, a tree lighting and music program begins at 5:05 p.m.
Then stroll the historic grounds to view the mission with its beautiful gardens and courtyards all aglow. There will be displays of 10 community Christmas trees decorated by local organizations, family wreaths, prayer candles, a path of remembrance, lighted California poppy garden and halo grove, scented citrus garden and large-scale butterflies in the mission’s Central Courtyard. Refreshments from 3:16 Bakery Shop will be available for purchase in addition to wine and beer from Rancho Capistrano Winery and Mission Brewing on select days.
And keep your eye out for Sullivan the Elf and his best friend Poppy. Throughout the month of December, if you spot them on the mission grounds, snap a photo, post on social media and tag #ElvesOnAMission; follow the journey of these mischievous elves for fun and interesting facts about the mission on its social media accounts.
Holiday lights at Winter Fest OC at the OC Fair & Event Center. Photo courtesy of Winter Fest OC
Winter Fest OC
When: Through Jan. 4
Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: Single day admission, $24.99 plus fees. Season passes and add on experiences available.
Information: winterfestoc.com
Not to be outdone, Winter Fest OC – billed as Southern California’s largest winter festival – returns to the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa through Jan. 4 with tubing down a 150-foot Snowflake Summit ice slide, ice skating under the stars, a fresh snow play area, nine-hole Polar Put-Putt mini golf, carnival rides and games, visits with Santa (through Dec. 24), character meet-and-greets, seasonal food and drinks, and much more.
Live entertainment includes strolling performers, carolers and stage shows for plenty of festive fun. Kids will enjoy an inflatable zone with bouncing and climbing features, obstacle courses and slides for children ages 3 to 12.
Creating a magical atmosphere, the fairgrounds dazzle with immersive glowing holiday displays, a walking path through the Forest of Lights, a Holiday House show of lights synchronized to holiday music, and a nightly Christmas tree lighting – all perfect photo opportunities.
Then, to provide relaxation and holiday cheer, fireside igloos offer plush seating for groups of up to 10 people, a private fire pit, private bar and special menu with craft cocktails and all the fixings for roasting s’mores as you gather around the flickering flames while taking in views of the festival.
A variety of ticket packages are available, online at winterfestoc.com, with prices starting at $24.99 plus fees for single-day admission (must choose a date ahead of time) to $164.44 including fees for a Flex Platinum Pass (may attend any single date the event is open) including unlimited ice skating, carnival rides and kids inflatable playtime, express lane for the tubing hill and one round of mini golf. The ice skating, mini golf and fireside igloos are add-ons to general admission. Season passes are now sold out.
Illuminated scenes at the Dream Glow Festival, coming to Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine. Photo courtesy of Dream Glow Festival
Dream Glow Festival
When: Through Jan. 4
Where: Wild Rivers Waterpark, 10000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine
Cost: $37 for adults, $25 for children ages 4-12. Premium tickets and add-ons available.
Information: dreamglowfestival.com
For those seeking the ultimate holiday lights experience, the Dream Glow Festival showcases more than 1,000 radiant displays spread across three immersive worlds with different themes: Christmas Wonderland, Under the Sea and Realm of the Dragon. The dazzling event, at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine on select nights from Nov. 14 through Dec. 31, also features a laser light performance, infinity mirror room, illuminated dance floor and glowing butterfly swings.
Not to be missed is the frosty blue and white lights of the Arctic Snow Village. It’s like walking through a winter wonderland. Other areas showcase colorful mermaids and ocean creatures, such as an infinity mirror room with floor-to-ceiling jellyfish lights creating a seemingly endless underwater dreamscape.
Artists craft each light sculpture using a mix of traditional lantern-making techniques and modern design. The meticulous process transforms delicate silk and frames into masterpieces that seem to come to life with light. Breathtaking and brilliant, the sculptures feature mythical creatures and magical worlds for joyous journeys that bring together art, light and storytelling.
The festival features special theme nights, so return visits will be a different experience each time. Food and drinks – including glowing beverages – are created to match the themes.
Tickets are $37 for adults (or $53 for premium), $25 for children ages 4-12 (or $41 for premium). Children age 3 and under are admitted free. Infinity mirror room is included in premium tickets or a $5 add-on to general admission.
It takes approximately an hour to walk through the festival, but ticketholders may stay in the park until the event closes: 9:30 p.m. weekdays or 10 p.m. weekends. The festival opens at 4:30 p.m. on each event day. For more information, visit dreamglowfestival.com.
Whether you are visiting these immersive holiday events on land or sea in Orange County, they are sure to light up your spirit this season.
