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Image of Tree-lighting ceremony and 39th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade mark official start of the holidays at Jack London Square

Tree-lighting ceremony and 39th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade mark official start of the holidays at Jack London Square

Press Releases, Seaport, Commercial Real Estate, Community
December 4th, 2015

Press Release

For Immediate Release
December 4, 2015

Tree-lighting ceremony and 39th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade mark official start of the holidays at Jack London Square

Oakland, CA - December 4, 2015: Tonight, Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, is the annual tree-lighting ceremony at Jack London Square along the Oakland waterfront and Saturday evening is Deck the Hulls, - the 39th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade.

Friday evening officials will switch on 5,000 lights on the 55-foot tall Shasta fir tree at the foot of Broadway. The family-friendly event is from 5-7 p.m. Oakland Board of Port Commissioners President Earl S. Hamlin will be among the officials at the festive occasion. The evening will include holiday music, live reindeer, photos with Santa and more.

Several entertaining groups from the Oakland School of the Arts - Vocal Rush, Chamber Choir and Jazz Guitar Ensemble - will be on hand to sing and play music; Oakland Ballet Company students will perform snippets from the Nutcracker; and the famous tap-dancing Christmas Trees will make their annual appearance. Also on hand will be Oakland Spirit Orchestra from West Oakland Middle School and the Circus Spire Youth Troupe from the Kinetic Arts center.

Kids will delight at the opportunity to decorate cookies and make holiday ornaments. Nneka's Holiday Pop Up will offer more than 70 local vendors and artisans from 5 - 9 pm at 55 Harrison Street.

Saturday evening the 39th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Oakland estuary. Visitors can watch the holiday boat parade from Jack London square along the shoreline or from local restaurants at the Square. Bay Area boaters decorate their boats of all sizes with festive lights and holiday characters.

All are welcome and the events are free. http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/events/special-events

About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, or with the Port on Twitter, YouTube, and at www.portofoakland.com.

Contact:

Robert Bernardo,
Communications Manager
Port of Oakland
(510) 627-1401

Marilyn Sandifur,
Port Spokesperson
Port of Oakland
(510) 627-1193