"From glowing kayaks to decked-out sailboats." That phrase comes from Ventura Harbor Village's listing for the 50th Annual Parade of Lights & Fireworks, and it sums up how the anniversary is set up. The parade runs Friday, December 18, and Saturday, December 19, 2026. Boater applications open Wednesday, October 14, two days from today. The first 25 boats to sign up get extra incentives for this milestone year.
So the 50th parade starts taking shape this week, with a sign-up that's open to small craft as well as yachts. If you live in Pierpont, the Lanes or the Keys, the harbor is a few minutes away. The calendar between now and December is full of events built around kayaks, paddleboards and dogs in costume.
The Count Reaches Fifty
The harbor's own releases track the count. The parade was the 43rd in 2019, the 45th in 2022 and the 49th in 2025. The harbor itself belongs to the Ventura Port District, which owns and operates it and runs the parade as a Ventura Harbor Village event.
Recent themes show how much the parade changes from one December to the next:
- 2019: "SEAing is Believing"
- 2022: "Out of This World"
- 2024: "Candy Land"
- 2025: "Let It Glow"
The 2026 listing hasn't announced a theme yet. In 2024 and 2025, decorated power boats and sailboats made two laps of the harbor, with fireworks after the parade each night. This year's listing keeps the fireworks finale both nights and a Friday-night People's Choice vote. After last year's 49th parade, Ventura Breeze reported that organizers promised a 50th that would be "bigger, brighter, and more spectacular than ever."
What the Anniversary Puts on the Water
According to the event page, this year's awards are:
- Sweepstakes: $550 each for qualifying sail and power boats.
- Showstopper: $350 each for qualifying smaller boats.
- First and second place in eight categories: Human Powered, Dinghy/Duffy, Non-Profit, Commercial, Power 25 Feet & Under, Power 26 Feet & Over, Sail 29 Feet & Under, and Sail 30 Feet & Over.
- People's Choice, Friday only: voting happens online through the Ventura Harbor Facebook page. The winner gets $250, a golden cleat, a harbor plaque and bragging rights.
- Best Creative Use of Lights and Best Animation: $250 each, both back this year.
- Golden Nugget Award: new for 2026, for the brightest boat in the parade.
Two of the eight categories are for craft that fit on a car roof or tie up behind a bigger boat. Human Powered sits next to Sail 30 Feet & Over in the list, with the same first- and second-place awards. The Showstopper award sets aside its own $350 prize for smaller boats, so a lit-up dinghy doesn't have to beat a decked-out sailboat for a grand prize.
Some details won't be clear until the form goes live on October 14. As of today, the event page doesn't list an entry fee, a route map or skipper meeting dates, and it doesn't say whether paddleboards count as Human Powered. Older materials show how things worked before. Earlier official write-ups said entry was free. A 2015 application lined up the procession as power boats, then sailboats, then dinghies, then human-powered craft, and it banned commercial advertising, political statements and balloon releases. Those rules are from past years. The 2026 application will set this year's rules.
The Paddle Calendar Before the Parade
Between now and December 18, Ventura Harbor Village's events calendar has two more on-water events where paddlers can try costumes, lights and lining up in a group before the parade itself.
The 8th Annual Ventura Harbor Witches Paddle returns Friday, October 30, and the Village calls it "a flotilla of witches, warlocks and Halloween spirit." Then on December 13, the Santa Paddle puts Santa and friends on the water. The Village calls it a "cheerful holiday tradition." Winter Wonderland fills the waterfront the same day.
The Santa Paddle comes five days before the parade's opening night. Anyone planning a lit kayak for the Human Powered category can see that week what holds up on the water and what doesn't.
The Shore Side of the Same Season
On land, Ventura Harbor Village has events most weekends between now and the parade. The October and November dates lead off with an opening that has its own history.
Saturday, October 17, 11 AM–6 PM. Grand opening of the Buenaventura Art Center & Gallery, Ventura Harbor Village, Suite 101B. Free and open to the public.
The opening promises live art demonstrations, music, performances, interactive experiences and giveaways. This isn't the Buenaventura Art Association's first home at the harbor. The association opened its downtown gallery at 700 E. Santa Clara St. in September 1990. It sold that building in 2018 and moved into Studio #99 at Bell Arts Factory on Ventura Avenue. Its newsletter set the move to Harbor Village for December 1–2, 2024, into an Art Center at 1591 Spinnaker Dr., Suite 207. A June 2026 Port District leasing report describes Suite 101B as an office suite being converted to retail. VC Reporter lists "The Big Little Show" there through November 10. In its May 2026 newsletter, the association said it hoped to keep the gallery open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. That was a goal, so check the hours before you go. The same newsletter lists Paint & Play Sundays, a Third Thursday Salon and Wednesday drawing sessions.
Here's the rest of the shore calendar:
- Saturday, October 24: The HOWL-O-WEEN Dog Costume Contest returns. That same day, the Vanise Terry Band plays the Promenade Stage from 1 to 4 PM.
- Friday, October 30: Costumed kids can trick-or-treat through the Village from 4 to 6 PM at Seaside Trick or Treat. Then zombies take over the Main Lawn for the Thriller dance from 5:45 to 6:00 PM.
- November 7–8: At the Ventura Potter's Guild Bowl of Thanks & Pottery Market, you can shop locally made ceramics, choose a one-of-a-kind bowl and try food from Village restaurants.
The Village also has some new businesses in its 2026 lineup. Golden Hour Goods sells gifts from local makers, and Boba by the Sea pours tea, Vietnamese coffee and fruit slushes. Edhat's roundup of the Village's 2026 additions also reports that Boatyard Pub Seafood & Spirits reopened after patio and kitchen upgrades. It now has more seating and a dog menu.
Parade Nights, Practically
Both nights, festivities start at 4 PM and the parade starts at 6:30 PM. Admission is free. Carnival rides and games fill the Main Lawn before and after the parade, and a seaside DJ plays holiday music under faux snowfall.
For 2024, the Port District named the harbor perimeter and the Village promenade as viewing spots and suggested facing northwest. No published route map shows whether you can see the parade from the Keys channels, so the promenade and harbor edge are the sure bets.
For parking, the 2026 listing points to free spots on Spinnaker Drive, in the Dolphin lot at Safe Harbors Marina, and in the dirt lot at the end of Spinnaker Drive. The Dolphin lot is about a five-minute walk back to Andria's and the Village. A free shuttle picks up at the Harbor & Schooner Drive lot and at Portside Ventura, and paid parking is available too.
Boater applications open Wednesday, October 14. Sixty-five days later, on December 18 at 6:30 PM, the first boat of the 50th parade sets off.
Thinking about a lit kayak this December, or want help finding a viewing spot on the promenade? Juliana and the team at CallVenturaHome follow the harbor calendar all year and are glad to talk through the 50th Parade of Lights with neighbors. Discover the Ventura Life.
