Discovery Bay's December Runs on Two Parades and a Skippers Meeting Between Them

Discovery Bay's 24th Annual Lighted Holiday Street Parade rolls on Saturday, December 5, and for the first time in its history its founder won't be running it. One week later, on Saturday, December 12, the Discovery Bay Yacht Club sends its Lighted Boat Parade through the bays. Both parades have picked an America 250 theme. Both are open to the public. They're organized in very different ways, though, and the two dates that matter most to anyone entering fall on back-to-back nights.

If you'd like to enter a float, crew a boat, volunteer or just plan two Saturdays of watching, the deciding happens now, in early November.

A founder passes the torch after 23 years

In the announcement for this year's street parade, Amanda Dove, "who founded and nurtured this beloved community tradition," is passing the torch after 23 years. The Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Discovery Bay Community Foundation have partnered to run it from here on. The announcement promises to honor the parade's history while "introducing new ideas that will help make the parade even more memorable for families throughout Discovery Bay."

That's a big job to take on. On its events calendar, the Foundation calls the parade "the largest event in town each year," with thousands lining the streets for floats, dancers and musicians, ending with the traditional Christmas tree lighting. For 23 years, one person's volunteer group handled it. Starting this year it runs through two community organizations, and that change shows up most in how people sign up.

Forty floats, thirty volunteers

Float registration is open now through the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce events page, and the same page takes volunteer sign-ups. The new organizers set two numbers:

• 40 parade entries maximum. Once the lineup is full, it's full.
• About 30 volunteers to help run what the organizers call "a fun, safe, and successful community event."

The announcement says sponsorships for businesses and organizations "will also be announced soon." No entry fee or registration deadline has been posted yet. With a hard limit of 40, the real deadline is whenever the 40th float signs up.

The theme is America's 250th Birthday. A community listing on Patch says the Liberty High School Band is coming back, which ties the new era to one of the parade's longest-running features. In The Press's coverage last year, the organizers said the band "will lead the way, as always."

What last year's parade looked like

The 2026 route and tree-lighting time haven't been published yet. Even the start time differs from listing to listing. The Chamber calendar and Patch say 6 p.m. The Foundation's events page shows a 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. window. If you're picking a curb spot, plan around 6 p.m. and check the Chamber page again the week of the parade.

Last year's parade is the best reference for what the new organizers inherit. The Press reported it this way:

1. It started at Discovery Bay Marina, 5901 Marina Road.
2. It went down Marina Road to Willow Lake Road.
3. It continued along Riverlake Road and Sand Point Road.
4. It ended at the Discovery Bay Shopping Center, with the tree lighting at about 7:45 p.m.

The same story mentioned app-based public voting, the BMX bikes coming back, Mattson Plumbing's giant toilet float, help from the Liberty Honors Society, and Santa. None of those has been confirmed for 2026. The new organizers may keep them, change them or add their own ideas.

The boat parade keeps its format, with a requirement the night after

The Discovery Bay Yacht Club's parade on December 12 takes the opposite approach. Its 2026 theme is "America's 250 Years of Freedom," and the setup is the one longtime boaters will know. Here's how the two December parades compare.

The Yacht Club's event page says the parade is open to the general public. Boats gather on Kellogg Creek just off the point of Newport Lane, wind through every other bay in Discovery Bay, and finish in Marina Bay just beyond F dock near the marina. Every registered boat needs a VHF radio on board.

The step most likely to trip people up is the mandatory skippers meeting on Sunday, December 6, at 7 p.m. That's the night after the street parade. A household with a float on Saturday and a boat the next weekend has to be at the Yacht Club less than 24 hours after the tree lighting. Wristbands for the after-party, with awards, drinks and food at the club, are handed out at that meeting. Skippers who miss it miss more than a briefing.

There's room to join. In late October, the club's listing showed 74 open spaces with one boat registered. Signing up goes through the Yacht Club's registration page.

Times are a little inconsistent here too. The event card shows 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and the description says the parade starts at 5:15 p.m. Last year, Fleet Captain Steve Riggio told The Press it was "a really fun three-hour tour of Discovery Bay." Boats competed in small and large categories, judged from houses along the route. That same coverage suggested that viewers without a waterfront spot watch from Discovery Bay Marina as boats came in to the club around 8 p.m. This year's finish is again in Marina Bay, so that advice should still roughly hold.

The Press also covered a third parade last year, the Willow Lake Lighted Boat Parade, which is just for Willow Lake residents and ran on December 20. No date has been posted for 2026.

Five weeks, in order

Put the dates together and the season looks like this:

1. Saturday, Nov. 7: The Splashers Holiday Boutique at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, listed on The Press's community calendar.
2. Now through whenever 40 floats are in: Street parade float and volunteer registration on the Chamber's page.
3. Wednesday, Dec. 2: A Discovery Bay CSD Town Meeting on the Chamber calendar.
4. Saturday, Dec. 5: The street parade, with a 6 p.m. start on the Chamber calendar.
5. Sunday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.: The mandatory skippers meeting for the boat parade.
6. Saturday, Dec. 12: The Lighted Boat Parade, starting from Kellogg Creek.

Dinner before either parade

Both parades are on Saturdays, which makes dinner plans easier. The boat parade ends at Marina Bay, and the closest sit-down option is Marina Bar & Grill at 5879 Marina Road. Its website lists hours and kitchen closing times for every day of the week. Last year the street parade also started at the marina, so it may work for December 5 too, depending on the route the new organizers pick.

Along Discovery Bay Boulevard, DB Sportsbar & Steakhouse at 2477 Discovery Bay Blvd is open until 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, according to its site. That's late enough for a meal after the tree lighting. On the same stretch, Digger's Diner at 2453 Discovery Bay Blvd is a daytime spot, open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The Press reported that it has a full bar and a patio overlooking the golf course and pond. It's a good stop for a late breakfast on the morning you're decorating a float or stringing lights on a boat. If you'd rather eat at home before heading out, China Wok at 14870 Highway 4, Suite F, does takeout Tuesday through Sunday until 8:45 p.m.

If your family is thinking about entering a float under the new organizers, or putting your boat in the Yacht Club parade for the first time, I'm happy to share what I know about both December weekends here in Discovery Bay. Danielle Campbell is always glad to hear from neighbors, so let's connect.