"Please come down and celebrate the many memories we have shared on the water," Turk's owner Candy Varteresian wrote in an email to Dana Point Times, ahead of the bar's last day of service, set for October 31. Dana Point Harbor Partners set November 1 as the day the Wharf closes to the public for Phase 4 of the harbor's $600 million revitalization.
That puts the 51st Annual Boat Parade of Lights, December 11 through 13, next to a construction fence. The boats leave at 6:30 p.m. each night, the theme is "Harboritaville," and Dana Point Harbor Partners is putting up as much as $10,000 in cash prizes. On shore, the places to watch are the Island park areas, the boardwalk, and the Ocean Institute's Historical Wharf, which sells pier-side seats on Friday only. The three nights now offer different evenings.
What goes dark, and what stays open along the water
The Wharf empties in two steps. Wind & Sea closed September 15 so construction could start on Building 1. The businesses in Buildings 2 through 5 had October 31 set as their final day. According to Dana Point Times, that second group includes three long-running names:
- Turk's, a family-owned restaurant and bar on the harbor since 1984. The owners plan to come back to the Wharf once construction is done.
- Proud Mary's, part of the harbor since 1977. Its owner is open to reopening if an existing restaurant space comes up.
- Frisby Cellars, which moved in 2025 into the building where Waterman's Harbor used to be. It keeps pouring at its Rancho Mission Viejo location, and talks about returning to the harbor are still going on.
Two Wharf operators are staying. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express are relocating to temporary trailers, with trips planned seven days a week. That matters for parade night because Dana Wharf runs one of the two parade charters. The harbor's July construction update also says the Phase 5 fence line keeps public boardwalk access and boater dock access open. Even with active work zones nearby, the waterline is still yours to walk.
Three nights, three different evenings
Each 2026 parade-night offering is tied to specific dates. The Ocean Institute's premier viewing and its research-vessel cruise run Friday only. Its general viewing party runs Friday and Saturday, and Captain Dave's dance-floor cruise skips Friday.
| Friday, Dec. 11 | Saturday, Dec. 12 | Sunday, Dec. 13 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Institute viewing party, $20 adults | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ocean Institute premier viewing, $45 | ✓ | ||
| R/V Sea Explorer parade cruise | ✓ | ||
| Dana Wharf 90-minute cruise, 6:30 p.m. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Captain Dave's Deluxe cruise | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Captain Dave's Premium cruise | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Santa Paws on the Island, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | ✓ | ✓ |
The Ocean Institute viewing party runs 6 to 9 p.m. on December 11 and again on December 12. It has food and drinks for purchase, cocoa and coffee, cookie decorating, live entertainment and the touch tanks. The premier viewing runs 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday at the Maddie James Seaside Learning Center Historical Wharf and on board the Spirit of Dana Point. With the commercial Wharf closed, that Historical Wharf is the one ticketed pier-side seat on the parade calendar this year, and it is available on Friday only. The R/V Sea Explorer cruise is also Friday only, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Desserts are included, and beer and wine are for sale.
On the water, Dana Wharf's parade cruise leaves at 6:30 p.m. all three nights. You get holiday music, a cash bar and close-up views of the boats competing for prizes. Seating is limited, and the operator says the standing areas have the best views. Groups that want their own boat can call (949) 496-5794, ext. 2, for private charters. Captain Dave's runs its smaller, open-air Deluxe cruise all three nights. Its Premium cruise, an indoor-outdoor boat with a DJ and dancing, runs only Saturday and Sunday. The harbor's own advice is to book early because cruises sell out. Dana Wharf is moving to a temporary trailer, so check the boarding spot when you book.
If you want a seat on the Historical Wharf or a spot on the Sea Explorer, go Friday. On Saturday you can do Santa Paws in the morning and then the Ocean Institute party or Captain Dave's Premium cruise in the evening. Sunday has no Ocean Institute event, so your choices are the Island, the boardwalk and the charters.
The Island takes over the shoreline
Dana Point Harbor's 2026 holiday page names the Island park areas and the boardwalk as the places to watch from shore. The light display points people the same way. Dana Point Harbor Partners turns on more than 700,000 LEDs starting Thursday, November 12. This year the displays cover the new harbor entrance, the Island and Bump Out Park near Baby Beach. The whale sculpture, the harbor VW bus, the #happyharbordays sign and the Merry Kiss Me™ display all come back.
So the lights go up a month before the boats, in the same spots you'll stand to watch the parade. A walk along the Island in late November is a good way to pick your spot on the shoreline ahead of time.
The Island also hosts the parade weekend's daytime event. Santa Paws, put on with the Pet Project Foundation, runs December 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. near the Richard Henry Dana Jr. statue. Holiday pet photos with Santa and the harbor VW bus cost a $15 donation, and all of it goes to the foundation.
The parking structure becomes a destination of its own
The public structure at 799 Harbor Way gives you up to four free hours, subject to availability. After that it is $6 an hour, with a $24 daily maximum, and the harbor says special-event rates may apply. Four hours is plenty for a 6:30 p.m. parade if you arrive late in the afternoon. On parade nights, though, check whether event pricing is in effect before you count on the free window. Other public options are hourly paid parking at Puerto Place and a $15 flat rate at the Embarcadero, both subject to availability. The harbor's posted trolley schedule ends with weekend service in September, so plan to drive or walk in December.
The structure is also hosting something new. Harbor After Dark, Holiday Edition, is a holiday night market put together with Modern Makers Mart. It runs on select Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. inside the parking structure, with rotating food trucks and seasonal drinks from Coco Bloom Coffee. The Wharf used to be where you'd go for a bite and some browsing in December. This year the harbor has moved that to a concrete deck next to Harbor Way.
For a sit-down dinner before the parade, Chart House and Glasspar Seafood & Steakhouse are both near the harbor, and neither is on the Wharf closure list. Check their hours and reserve ahead for parade nights.
A December calendar that starts in November
These are the 2026 harbor holiday dates, starting with the lights in mid-November:
- Thursday, November 12: the 700,000-light display turns on at the harbor entrance, the Island and Bump Out Park.
- Tuesday, December 1: the Whale on the Wharf scavenger hunt begins. Find 10 or more whales and you can enter your game card in a grand prize raffle. The harbor's description lists stops "throughout the Wharf and the Village," so check the game card for the participating stops that are open while the Wharf is closed.
- Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5: Holiday Harbor Light Cruises from Dana Wharf. These are a quieter way to see the lights from the water before parade week.
- Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6: Boat Rides with Santa aboard the Dana Pride, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds go to Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay, and reservations are required.
- Friday through Sunday, December 11 to 13: the Boat Parade of Lights, 6:30 to 8 p.m. each night.
- Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19: the last two Holiday Harbor Light Cruises.
If your own boat is in the parade
The 2026 entry form lists a $20 entry fee. You can drop off your application at The Marina at Dana Point, 34555 Casitas Place, or email it to the parade contact. Registered skippers are invited to a meeting on Wednesday, December 2, at Dana West Yacht Club, where they get safety and parade-etiquette guidance and their participant number. Decorations and conduct have to be family friendly and PG, and Dana Point Harbor Partners can turn away a vessel that doesn't meet that standard. The 2026 award categories include Best Use of Theme, People's Choice, the Supervisor's Cup and the Mayor's Cup. Some links on the harbor's holiday page still go to the 2025 registration packet, so use the 2026 form linked above.
Kathy and I watch the harbor change month by month, and we're glad to share what we've seen if you're figuring out where your family should watch the parade this December. And if all this construction has you wondering what the new harbor will mean for your own home's value, Chris Zoch can help you get a clear answer. Get Your Instant Home Valuation.
