38th Annual Lighted Boat Parade Event Recap

The Santa Cruz Yacht Club’s 38th Annual Lighted Boat Parade lit up the Santa Cruz Harbor on Saturday, December 6, 2025, with this year’s theme, “Disco at the North Pole!” The event brought holiday cheer to large crowds who came to enjoy the dazzling displays of several beautifully decorated power and sailboats.

Slip renters went above and beyond with their creative decorations, making the evening memorable for the entire community. A special thank you to the Coast Guard Auxiliary for their ongoing support in ensuring visitor safety during the event.

Congratulations to the Best-in-Show Winner of the 2025 Lighted Boat Parade!

  • BEST OVERALL WINNER ~ Boogie Lights  with Skipper John Fowler

Thank you to all participants for your incredible creativity, effort, and festive spirit. We can’t wait to see how you light up the harbor next year!

2025 Lighted Boat Parade Winner Results 

POWER BOATS
1. Best Music: Dan Grow – Prix Occupied (#40)
2. Best Lights: Dan Grow – Prix Occupied (#40)
3. Best Theme: William Shady – Back Porch (#16)
4. Most Spirited: William Shady – Back Porch (#16)

SAILBOATS
1. Best Music: John Fowler – Boogie Lights (#30)
2. Best Lights: Allison Jaballas – Cap’n Joe (UCSC) (#44)
3. Best Theme: Jason Lauer – I Will Survive (#34)
4. Most Spirited: Allison Jaballas – Cap’n Joe (UCSC) (#44)

SMALL PERSONAL WATERCRAFT
1. Best Combined: Rick Cook (#8)

OVERALL WINNER
1. John Fowler – Boogie Lights (#30)

A brightly lit boat decorated for the holidays shines against a darkening sky, surrounded by other illuminated vessels.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer (OVERALL WINNER ~ Boogie Lights with Skipper John Fowler)
A festive scene with brightly lit boats on water at dusk, featuring a decorated lighthouse and holiday decorations.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive parade of brightly lit boats on water at dusk, creating a colorful reflection on the surface.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Illuminated boats filled with festive decorations and characters sail at night, with a lighthouse glowing in the background.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat parade featuring brightly lit holiday decorations and people enjoying the evening on the water.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive scene with decorated boats and people in holiday attire, celebrating with lights and decorations at sunset.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A decorated boat with colorful lights sails past a busy waterfront dining area at dusk, creating a festive atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat parade with brightly lit vessels on water, celebrating the holiday season at dusk.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit boat with a group of people celebrating, decorated with festive lights against a dark night sky.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive scene featuring decorated boats with lights on a calm waterway during twilight, creating a cheerful holiday atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Colorful, illuminated boats are sailing on water at dusk, reflecting festive lights against a serene twilight backdrop.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
People in festive sweaters celebrate on a decorated boat, illuminated with lights, during a nighttime event.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat with people in colorful costumes and lots of lights, celebrating with a holiday theme and decorations.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Two people sit on a brightly lit, festive raft in the water, reflecting colorful lights on the surface around them.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A decorated boat with colorful lights and festive ornaments is sailing at night, surrounded by onlookers and other boats.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Decoratively lit boats with festive displays sail on water at night, creating a vibrant holiday atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Colorful, decorated boats with festive lights and holiday figures on a scenic waterway at night, with a lighthouse in the background.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit boat decorated with colorful lights sails at night, with a lighthouse glowing in the background.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit house resembling a lighthouse, decorated for the night, with people visible on the balcony and surrounding area.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat parade with people in Santa hats, adorned with colorful lights reflecting in the water.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A decorated boat with festive lights and a Jack Skellington character, occupied by people celebrating at dusk.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A decorated boat with a giant inflatable Santa cruises in a festive harbor, lights glowing, as spectators watch from the shore.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A vibrant display of decorated boats illuminated at dusk, reflecting on the water during a festive celebration.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat adorned with colorful lights and decorations, surrounded by other illuminated boats on a calm night water scene.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Several beautifully lit boats celebrate a festive occasion on a calm waterway at night. Holiday decorations abound!
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festively decorated boat with people in cowboy hats celebrating, featuring lights, a giant cow decoration, and Christmas spirit.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit boat with festive decorations, including a Santa figure, sails near a illuminated lighthouse at night.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive scene featuring boats decorated with colorful lights on water, creating a holiday atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive scene on the water, with illuminated boats and people celebrating, dancing, and enjoying the holiday spirit.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat parade with boats decorated in colorful holiday lights, reflecting on the water in a marina at night.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
Colorful boats decorated with lights are seen on water at night, creating a festive, vibrant atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat party with people in colorful outfits, hats, and lights, celebrating joyfully on the water at night.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat adorned with colorful lights and participants in sparkly outfits, celebrating an event at night.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit sailboat glides through water at dusk, while a crowd watches from a rocky shore. Festive atmosphere.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat decorated with lights is sailing in a harbor at twilight, surrounded by other illuminated boats and shoreline.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A decorated boat with a large Santa figure and colorful lights is floating on water at dusk, with spectators in the background.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive boat parade with participants in Christmas attire and colorful lights, celebrating the holiday spirit at dusk.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A festive scene with performers in sparkly outfits on a decorated boat, celebrating with music and lights.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A vibrant display of decorated boats illuminated with colorful lights on water, celebrating a festive occasion at night.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A vibrant harbor at night decorated with colorful lights reflecting on the water, showcasing festive boats and joyful ambiance.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit boat with various performers celebrating at night, decorated with colorful lights and festive attire.
Shmuel Thaler Photographer
A brightly lit boat decorated for the holidays shines against a darkening sky, surrounded by other illuminated vessels.
A festive scene with brightly lit boats on water at dusk, featuring a decorated lighthouse and holiday decorations.
A festive parade of brightly lit boats on water at dusk, creating a colorful reflection on the surface.
Illuminated boats filled with festive decorations and characters sail at night, with a lighthouse glowing in the background.
A festive boat parade featuring brightly lit holiday decorations and people enjoying the evening on the water.
A festive scene with decorated boats and people in holiday attire, celebrating with lights and decorations at sunset.
A decorated boat with colorful lights sails past a busy waterfront dining area at dusk, creating a festive atmosphere.
A festive boat parade with brightly lit vessels on water, celebrating the holiday season at dusk.
A brightly lit boat with a group of people celebrating, decorated with festive lights against a dark night sky.
A festive scene featuring decorated boats with lights on a calm waterway during twilight, creating a cheerful holiday atmosphere.
Colorful, illuminated boats are sailing on water at dusk, reflecting festive lights against a serene twilight backdrop.
People in festive sweaters celebrate on a decorated boat, illuminated with lights, during a nighttime event.
A festive boat with people in colorful costumes and lots of lights, celebrating with a holiday theme and decorations.
Two people sit on a brightly lit, festive raft in the water, reflecting colorful lights on the surface around them.
A decorated boat with colorful lights and festive ornaments is sailing at night, surrounded by onlookers and other boats.
Decoratively lit boats with festive displays sail on water at night, creating a vibrant holiday atmosphere.
Colorful, decorated boats with festive lights and holiday figures on a scenic waterway at night, with a lighthouse in the background.
A brightly lit boat decorated with colorful lights sails at night, with a lighthouse glowing in the background.
A brightly lit house resembling a lighthouse, decorated for the night, with people visible on the balcony and surrounding area.
A festive boat parade with people in Santa hats, adorned with colorful lights reflecting in the water.
A decorated boat with festive lights and a Jack Skellington character, occupied by people celebrating at dusk.
A decorated boat with a giant inflatable Santa cruises in a festive harbor, lights glowing, as spectators watch from the shore.
A vibrant display of decorated boats illuminated at dusk, reflecting on the water during a festive celebration.
A festive boat adorned with colorful lights and decorations, surrounded by other illuminated boats on a calm night water scene.
Several beautifully lit boats celebrate a festive occasion on a calm waterway at night. Holiday decorations abound!
A festively decorated boat with people in cowboy hats celebrating, featuring lights, a giant cow decoration, and Christmas spirit.
A brightly lit boat with festive decorations, including a Santa figure, sails near a illuminated lighthouse at night.
A festive scene featuring boats decorated with colorful lights on water, creating a holiday atmosphere.
A festive scene on the water, with illuminated boats and people celebrating, dancing, and enjoying the holiday spirit.
A festive boat parade with boats decorated in colorful holiday lights, reflecting on the water in a marina at night.
Colorful boats decorated with lights are seen on water at night, creating a festive, vibrant atmosphere.
A festive boat party with people in colorful outfits, hats, and lights, celebrating joyfully on the water at night.
A festive boat adorned with colorful lights and participants in sparkly outfits, celebrating an event at night.
A brightly lit sailboat glides through water at dusk, while a crowd watches from a rocky shore. Festive atmosphere.
A festive boat decorated with lights is sailing in a harbor at twilight, surrounded by other illuminated boats and shoreline.
A decorated boat with a large Santa figure and colorful lights is floating on water at dusk, with spectators in the background.
A festive boat parade with participants in Christmas attire and colorful lights, celebrating the holiday spirit at dusk.
A festive scene with performers in sparkly outfits on a decorated boat, celebrating with music and lights.
A vibrant display of decorated boats illuminated with colorful lights on water, celebrating a festive occasion at night.
A vibrant harbor at night decorated with colorful lights reflecting on the water, showcasing festive boats and joyful ambiance.
A brightly lit boat with various performers celebrating at night, decorated with colorful lights and festive attire.

 

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Upload your best photo from this year’s parade to be featured in our gallery! Please include a watermark for photo credit or email credit details to scpd@santacruzharbor.org.

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