L.A. HARBOR HOLIDAY AFLOAT PARADE
CELEBRATES 53RD YEAR AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — November 17, 2015 —Los Angeles Harbor community members will celebrate the free and festive 53rd Annual Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade on Saturday, December 5, at 6 p.m., at the Port of Los Angeles. Presiding over this sparkling spectacular is Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Kelli Bernard as Grand Marshal and 15th District Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino as Commodore of the Fleet to celebrate the nation’s busiest international trade gateway with this year’s playful theme of Santa’s Minions.
Officials and community leaders will take part in the parade as judges or passengers on approximately 60 boats parading along the LA Waterfront. Participating vessels are of all shapes and sizes, including powerboats, sailboats, tall ships, and harbor working craft.
Sponsored by the Port of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade starts in the East Basin near Banning’s Landing Community Center in Wilmington and takes approximately 90 minutes to cover the entire parade route through the Los Angeles Main Channel. Spectators may view the procession from several points along the LA Waterfront, including:
- Banning’s Landing Community Center, 100 E. Water Street, Wilmington
- Cruise Ship Promenade, Harbor Boulevard and Swinford Street, San Pedro
- Battleship IOWA, 250 S. Harbor Blvd, San Pedro
- Los Angeles Maritime Museum, 600 Sampson Way, San Pedro
- Downtown Harbor, 504 S. Harbor Blvd, San Pedro
- Ports O’ Call Village, 1100 Nagoya Way, San Pedro
- 22nd Street Landing, 141 W. 22nd Street, San Pedro
- SS Lane Victory, Berth 46 (at the end of Miner Street), San Pedro
- Cabrillo and Holiday Harbor Marinas, 285 Whalers Walk, San Pedro
Before the parade at 4 p.m., viewers are invited to enjoy holiday festivities at Banning’s Landing Community Center in Wilmington. Also during the parade, at 6 p.m., the Port of Los Angeles will host a special Holidays by the Sea event at Downtown Harbor in San Pedro. Home viewers may also watch the parade on Los Angeles CityView Channel 35. For air times, visit www.lacityview.org.
Deadline for boat entries is December 2; register online at laharborholidayafloat.org. Vessel entry fee for the parade is only $30, which includes one admission to the Parade Awards Brunch on Sunday, December 6, at the Los Angeles Yacht Club. Advance tickets for the awards brunch are available for $20 online or $25 at the door. Trophies will be awarded in the following categories: Theme, Traditional, Humorous, Holiday Spirit, Best Animation, Commercial, Most Original, Children’s Choice, Judge’s Choice, and the Grand Marshal’s Award. Yacht clubs will be vying for the coveted Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the club with the most entries.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. As North America’s leading seaport in terms by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $290 billion in trade during 2014. Port operations and commerce facilitate more than 148,000 jobs (about one in 12) in the City of Los Angeles and 531,000 jobs (or one in 16) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support more than 1 million California jobs and 3.1 million nationwide.