The waterborne Christmas Ships Parade that transforms dark nights into merry, bright memories is nothing new to the Vancouver waterfront. Dozens of skippers have been volunteering their boats and their labors for the festive flotilla each year since 1954.
But the capital-W Waterfront Vancouver is new, and the way the development has improved the face of the Couv has lately been the talk of the town. Here’s an extra-nice aspect of the new walkway and pier alongside new restaurants and condos-to-come: they provide spacious front-row perches for watching those lit-up ornaments as they come bobbing along.
The Grant Street pier, a balcony suspended above the river, “fits really nicely into what I already do with the group,” said skipper Doug Romjue, who leads the Columbia Fleet part of the parade. “Once we pass by the I-5 Bridge, I will make sure to get at least to the new pier extension.”
In case you’re new at this: There are two Christmas Ships fleets that follow separate schedules on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. On a handful of outings this year, including their Dec. 1 loop in front of the Port of Camas-Washougal, the two fleets will combine to make a really big splash.
If You Go
•What: Christmas Ships viewing with music by River Twain, a benefit for the Police Activities League.
•When: 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 12.
•Where: WareHouse ’23, 100 Columbia St., Vancouver.
•Tickets: $50, includes cocktails and food. Family of four ticket for $125.
•On the web: BrownPaperTickets.com/event/3717107
Watch this space nearly every day, starting Nov. 30 and ending Dec. 20, for Columbia River parade route maps drawn up by The Columbian (except Dec. 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 17, which are parade days off). The Christmas Ships organizers like our maps so much, this year they requested a trade: our neat maps for their great photographs of previous parades.
That’s what you see on this page: a deep dive into awesome Christmas Ships Parade photography. Meanwhile, The Columbian’s maps are posted on the Christmas Ships website, ChristmasShips.org.
Local lumens
This year’s festivities begin at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 with the whole combined fleet, but it sticks to the Portland side. It’s the same route on Dec. 7 and 19.
Dec. 1 is probably our side’s biggest and best parade night, with the same combined fleet launching and looping from the Port of Camas-Washougal marina. That gets underway at 6 p.m.
After that, the mass flotilla mostly splits in two. The Columbia Fleet usually departs at 7 p.m. from Portland’s Gleason Boat Ramp, almost directly across the river from Vancouver’s Marine Park and ventures over to strike some seasonal poses. For up-close viewing from the Vancouver waterfront, including that way-cool pier as well as old and new restaurants, plan on being in position no later than 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 18 and 20.
On Dec. 6 and 13, the Columbia Fleet will take a little longer to reach the same west Vancouver waterfront — by about 8 p.m. — after looping in front of Wintler and Marine Parks, then in front of Hayden Island.
At 6 p.m. Dec. 8, the combined fleet assembles at St. Helens, Ore., and visits the RV park at Woodland.
At 7 p.m. Dec. 14, the Columbia Fleet leaves the Gleason Boat Ramp and heads east under the Interstate 205 Bridge and past Steamboat Landing for a turnabout off 164th Avenue.
The Willamette Fleet usually starts at 7 p.m. at RiverPlace Marina in Portland, and generally heads south to visit spots like Milwaukie and Lake Oswego.
Christmas Shippers always love greeting their fans. Meet-and-greet mixers are scheduled for 8 p.m. Dec. 15 and 2 p.m. Dec. 16 at the public dock in front of RiverPlace Marina in downtown Portland.
