Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard will kick off the holidays with its 52nd annual holiday Parade of Lights, noon-8 p.m. Dec. 9, with the parade starting at 7 p.m. This year’s parade theme is Fairy Tales Afloat.

Visitors are invited to enjoy a full day of holiday activities and watch festively decorated boats in the parade while listening to carolers sing holiday songs.

Starting at noon, families can play in 36 tons of snow falling at the north end of Harbor View Park, near Marine Emporium Landing, 3600 Harbor Blvd.

Santa will be around noon-4 p.m. and will take pictures with families free of charge. There will be holiday arts and crafts vendors starting at 10 a.m.

Santa and his reindeer will ride through the sky at 7 p.m. to mark the start of the parade, which begins in front of Peninsula Park, heads to the Main Channel, turns at Hobie Beach, loops in front of the launch ramp, returns to Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club and repeats the route once more.

The parade can be viewed from parks and walkways that line the route as well as from most harbor restaurants.

Any size boat can register for the Parade of Lights. To participate, download an entry form from www.channelislandsharbor.org. Parade participants can take part in various decorating contests and compete for awards.  
 
For more information on the Parade of Lights or Channel Islands Harbor, visit www.channelislandsharbor.org.

— Emily Graybill for Channel Islands Harbor.