Tempe Town Lake's Boat Parade Is Built From Neighbors' Boats, and Entries Close Dec. 1

On Saturday, Dec. 12, the parking lot at Tempe Town Lake Marina opens to parade boats at 1 p.m. That's three hours before Tempe Beach Park opens to the public. Boats load in on the north side of the lake at 550 E. Tempe Town Lake, and each captain picks up a numbered flag at the captains' meeting to fly on the left side of the boat.

Those boats don't have to belong to businesses. The 2026 boat-unit manual for the Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade sets aside a "community" entry for individuals, families, schools, neighborhoods and nonprofits. Applications stay open through Dec. 1. Downtown Tempe's Fantasy of Lights run builds toward that night. It starts on Mill Avenue, spends a weekend on the art-festival blocks and finishes on the water. The finish is the one Tempe residents can actually be part of.

What a parade boat needs

Downtown Tempe Authority runs the parade, and its manual is short and specific. If you have a boat in the garage and a free December Saturday, here's the checklist:

• The boat: Motorized only, with a single-engine electric motor or a 2- or 4-stroke gas engine. Jet skis and human-powered boats aren't allowed. Maximum height is 18 feet, masts included.
• The lights: At least 2,000. Inflatable decorations are fine as long as they're secured so they won't blow off.
• The power: Generators are allowed if they weigh 150 pounds or less and have a spark arrestor. Gas and fuel cans can't be on board, so fill the generator before you cast off.
• The paperwork: The boat must be licensed, with proof of current insurance on board. The driver must be licensed and sober, and no alcohol is allowed on parade boats.
• The fee: From Nov. 1 through Dec. 1, a community entry costs $70. A commercial entry costs $225. That's the category for any boat showing business logos, products or services.

Each boat needs its own application. Downtown Tempe says it will notify accepted entries within three business days and then send an invoice. Each accepted boat gets two parking passes, one for the vehicle towing the trailer and one for guests. The fee isn't refundable if you back out. If Downtown Tempe cancels the event, it refunds the fee minus a $5 processing charge. This is a summary of the organizer's rules for general information, not insurance or legal advice, so check the full manual with Downtown Tempe and your own coverage with your insurer.

Every entry is also judged. Five categories each pay $500: Best New Entry, Best Use of Lights, Best Animation / Special Effects, Best Originality and Most Spirited Group. A neighborhood that pools its lights and its loudest people on one boat has a category made for it. A first-time family boat has another.

Some of the rules sound like they were written after a particular night. The manual bans throwing candy, it makes the whole lake a no-wake zone, and it bans live Santas, "there's only one, and he's already on site!"

The same night, from the water and from the shore

On Dec. 12 the captains run on a different clock than the crowd. The schedule below comes from the 2026 manual, which says times are subject to change.

A lead boat sets the pace at 5 to 6 miles per hour, from the marina to the light rail bridge, single file with no passing. After the loop, boats can float between the light rail bridge and the Rural Road bridge with their lights still on. During the fireworks they stay between the Mill Avenue bridges and the light rail bridge. Boaters are also told to stay off the shoreline, where shallow banks can damage a hull and block the crowd's view.

If you're watching from shore, that's useful to know. The decorated boats stay between the marina and the bridges all evening, and their lights stay on until the fireworks show ends.

The shore side of the night is free. Downtown Tempe's event page lists a holiday market, live entertainment, food and drink vendors, Santa photos and the fireworks finale at Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. Guests must follow Downtown Tempe's clear-bag policy. Under that policy, medical bags are allowed but are thoroughly inspected. According to the manual, there's an ADA viewing spot in Tempe Beach Park just west of Boat Rentals for America. BOK Financial is the presenting sponsor, Achen sponsors the fireworks and Gateway Community College sponsors the Santa tent.

Three weekends from Mill Avenue to the lake

The boat parade is the last of Downtown Tempe's Fantasy of Lights events. The deadline for entering a boat falls inside that sequence, three days after the season opens downtown.

1. Saturday, Nov. 28: Fantasy of Lights Street Parade + Tree Lighting on Mill Avenue, 4 to 8 p.m.
2. Tuesday, Dec. 1: Last day to apply for a boat in the boat parade.
3. Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4 to 6: Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts on Mill Avenue and the surrounding downtown streets.
4. Wednesday, Dec. 9: Menorah Lighting Ceremony at Ragsdale–MLK Park, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
5. Saturday, Dec. 12: Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade at Tempe Beach Park, 4 to 9 p.m.

Households thinking about a boat entry have until Dec. 1 to decide. That's three days after the street parade.

Nov. 28 on Mill Avenue

The street parade is the season opener, and Downtown Tempe's event page lays out the evening in detail. CenterPoint Plaza opens at 4 p.m. with DJ Nasdak, and this year's emcee is the Arizona Theatre Company. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. the Marcos de Niza Chamber Singers carol along the street. The parade steps off at 6 p.m. from 3rd Street and Mill Avenue and heads south on Mill. It turns west on 7th Street through CenterPoint Plaza, then north on Maple Avenue, and finishes on 5th Street between Maple and Ash. After the parade, the 36-foot holiday tree is lit at CenterPoint Plaza. Santa photos are free, and a letter-writing station lets kids send letters to the North Pole.

Viewing along Mill is first come, first served. Families who stake out a curb early will be close to the snack vendors: Ava's Kettle Corn, Toasted Mallow with holiday milkshakes, hot cocoa and s'mores, Churrolicious and BunnyBee Ice Cream.

Getting downtown that night takes a little planning:

• Streetcar: During the event, the Tempe Streetcar runs only between the Dorsey and 9th Street stops. Check Valley Metro's streetcar page for hours and fares.
• Light rail: Station A13 at Veterans Way and College Avenue is one block east of 5th Street and Mill. Station A14 at Mill Avenue and 3rd Street, just outside Loco Patron, is where the parade starts.
• Parking: The 201 S. Ash Parking Garage is normally free on Saturdays and Sundays, but special events like this one are excluded. Downtown Tempe points drivers to Tempe TRiP for real-time availability and rates.

The weekend in between

The Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts fills the following weekend, Dec. 4 to 6. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Downtown Tempe lists more than 300 artist booths, and the festival is cash-free. The district's holiday page describes a festival more than 50 years old, with juried artists along Mill Avenue and nearby streets, chalk muralists, wine and beer gardens, live music, a kids block and local food.

Midweek, Downtown Tempe and ASU Chabad host the Menorah Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 9 at Ragsdale–MLK Park, with traditional blessings, kids' activities and kosher treats.

That leaves three days before the boats go out. Parade boats are allowed on the lake from 3:30 p.m. on parade day, and during daylight they have to stay between the marina and Rural Road. Without a boat of your own, you can still see the lake at dusk on another evening. Tempe Boat Cruisin' offers a 90-minute all-ages sunset cruise for $39 per guest plus tax, with one drink voucher.

For anyone who is entering, the 4 p.m. captains' meeting on Dec. 12 is required, and every boat is judged by the flag on its left side. The manual suggests lighting that flag so the judges can read the number.

At Kristi Newman, we love a holiday season built around community traditions like these. If your household is building a boat this year, or you're thinking about a home where Tempe Town Lake is part of your December, let's sit down for a free consultation and talk through what you're looking for.