The First Parade of Lights Since Fisherman's Wharf Started Coming Down

On Aug. 15, more than 350 people gathered at Fisherman's Wharf to mark the start of its redevelopment. The Oxnard High School band played, a charity auction raised $14,000 for local nonprofits, and a ceremonial first strike opened the demolition. According to the Ventura County Harbor Department's September message, demolition crews "have been moving swiftly since."

This puts Channel Islands Harbor in an in-between December. The 60th Annual Parade of Lights is set for Saturday, Dec. 12. The landmark on the harbor's east side is now a construction site, and its replacement is targeting a spring 2028 opening. Until then, a December at the harbor means a short run of event days and the waterfront restaurants and venues around the water. Here is how those pieces fit together.

What is happening behind the fence

The new tenant is Karls, a German company known for its village-style attractions. The Harbor Department says the Oxnard site will be the first Karls in the United States. Planned elements include a market-style building, restaurants, family entertainment areas, a café and bakery, and recreational amenities built around the region's maritime and agricultural culture.

The approvals took years. The California Coastal Commission approved the project on Aug. 14, 2025. The City of Oxnard approved demolition permits in January 2026, and demolition started in August 2026. In its explainer on the project, the Harbor Department says more than 20 community workshops came before that point. It also says the plans include no apartments or condominiums, and it describes the old wharf property as aging and largely vacant.

Karls owner Robert Dahl flew in from Germany for the August kickoff. In the department's project update, he described what he wants the site to become:

"Our goal here has always been to build a real community 'focal point,' a place where local families can come together, a place that creates good jobs, and a place that celebrates the wonderful maritime and agricultural culture of the area."

The project sits at Channel Islands Boulevard and Victoria Avenue. In June, the Harbor Department said a temporary wooden fence was going up around the site and would be painted. It also said Hopper Boat Rentals would stay open during construction.

Three harbor dates in eight days

With the wharf out of service for this season, the harbor's December runs on scheduled events. Three of them fall within eight days, and the first one shares a morning with downtown Oxnard's parade.

1. Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to noon: The Oxnard Christmas Parade runs downtown. Reserved seating near 300 West Fifth Street is sold through the organizer's Eventbrite listing.
2. Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The 7th Annual Channel Islands Harbor Food & Toy Drive takes place at Harbor Landing, 2810 Harbor Blvd. It runs four hours past the end of the downtown parade, so both fit into the same Saturday.
3. Sunday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: The 2nd Annual Reindeer Paddle goes out on the water.
4. Saturday, Dec. 12, noon to 9 p.m.: The Parade of Lights Holiday Market opens at Harbor View Park, and the 60th Parade of Lights follows at 7 p.m.

The Reindeer Paddle launches beside the wharf site

Of the harbor's holiday events, the Reindeer Paddle gets closest to the redevelopment. It starts at the East Bank Day Dock, which the Harbor Department places between Fisherman's Wharf and the public launch ramp. Kayakers and paddleboarders in holiday costumes head to the Channel Islands Blvd. Bridge and back at their own pace.

This is only the event's second year, and registration runs through the Harbor Department's event page. Every participant has to wear a life jacket or have one on hand while on the water, and Ventura County Harbor Patrol will be there during the paddle. The page lists the date in more than one place. Dec. 6, 2026 is a Sunday.

Parade day runs from noon to 9 p.m.

The parade is two hours long, but the day around it starts at noon. That is when the Parade of Lights Holiday Market opens at Harbor View Park with a snow play area, free pictures with Santa, local artisans and vendors, and food. The market closes at 7 p.m., when the decorated boats begin their run through the harbor.

This year's theme is "Aloha Afloat," and the Harbor Department is asking boaters for island-inspired displays. Last year's theme was "Rudolph's Rock N' Roll Regatta." The boater registration post links to the entry form. The form requires a signed release and proof of boat insurance. Boats longer than 50 feet must contact Harbor Patrol before they are accepted, and judging takes place on the second pass.

The Channel Islands Maritime Museum, at 3900 Bluefin Circle, has the most formal viewing option. Its Tropical Night of Lights runs from 6 to 9 p.m. with Hawaiian music, a Polynesian dinner, an art auction and a view of the parade. Tickets are $150 plus a $3.75 service fee. The museum's 2025 party was also $150, with appetizers, desserts, champagne, beer and wine. This year the party follows the parade's tropical theme and centers on a dinner.

For the 2025 parade, the Harbor Department also named five waterfront restaurants for watching indoors and urged diners to book early. Their addresses and booking details are below. Call ahead about parade-night plans.

The Harbor Department's 2025 guide also said the parade could be seen from almost anywhere in the harbor. It suggested that people heading to the most popular outdoor spots bring chairs, blankets and a cooler, and arrive early.

More of the harbor is in planning before 2028

The wharf is the biggest project at the harbor, but several others are underway or in planning. Here is where each stood in the Harbor Department's September updates.

• Harbor Department headquarters, 3900 Pelican Way: Phase II was finished in August 2026. The department expected to put construction out to bid in September and estimated about 14 months to build.
• Casa Sirena and Lobster Trap site: The plan calls for a 210-room Hyatt House and a restaurant of up to 5,000 square feet. As of Sept. 15, the developer was revising plans and securing funding.
• Former Whale's Tail site: The director wrote in September that several developers were exploring it.
• Harbor View Park playground: An inclusive, maritime-themed playground is planned for the same park that hosts the parade-day market. Construction is expected to start in 2027.

Over the next two years, the Karls site, a new headquarters building and a new playground are scheduled to change the harbor. This December, the 60th Parade of Lights runs past a waterfront where much of that work is still at the fence, plan or funding stage.

I'm glad to talk about which part of the harbor fits the way your family spends a December, or anything else that's changing around the water before 2028. Paul Coleman is here when you're ready. Let's Connect.