Canyon Lake’s 40th Annual Parade of Lights next weekend

The ever-popular Canyon Lake Parade of Lights will take to the lake Dec. 10 for its annual boat parade around Canyon Lake. In its 40th year, the Canyon Lake Yacht Club sponsors the event and encourages boat owners to participate.

The Yacht Club is seeking those with boats to enter the parade and the contest where winning boats will receive a variety of awards. Adjacent to this article is an entry form for boats wishing to enter, including boats from neighborhoods and clubs.

The time-honored tradition in Canyon Lake features a parade of festively-decorated boats that tour the lake after the sun goes down with lights reflecting off the lake’s surface. Canyon Lakers crowd the shoreline to view the annual event.

Boats will line up at the Eastport Park boat launch area at 4:30 p.m. and the parade will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m.

The parade will wind through the East Bay and around the Main Lake in a fun and beautiful ribbon display led by the Yacht Club’s popular smoke-belching, fire-breathing Green Dragon boat.

As in previous years, parade boats will not be going into coves, so best viewing sites will be along the East Channel and at various parks and waterfront homes on the Main Lake.

The Yacht Club encourages Canyon Lake boat owners to enter the parade and vie for awards given in a variety of categories. In addition to the traditional individual and family boat categories, the Parade of Lights this year will have divisions in the Neighborhood Challenge and Club Challenge categories.

The Yacht Club provides decorating tips and help for first timers who would like to participate. There is no cost to enter and the parade is open to all Canyon Lake registered boats. The Canyon Lake Yacht Club was established in 1990 by Canyon Lake residents who loved to get out on the lake. Since that time, it has operated as a social and philanthropic club within the Canyon Lake constellation of sanctioned clubs and organizations.