How old is the Encinitas Holiday Parade? This year's theme, "40 and Still Fabulous," makes the answer look obvious. The 40 belongs to the City of Encinitas, though, not to the parade. When floats head down Coast Highway 101 on Saturday, December 5, they will be marking the birthday of a city that is younger than the parade itself. The City only became the organizer in 1993, after the parade was cancelled in 1990 and 1991 and nearly disappeared.
Third Street, 1957
The Coastal Encinitas Rotary Club's history of the parade traces it to the 1950s. The earliest records date to 1957, and it may be older than that. It was called the "Saint Nick's Parade," and it ran down Third Street, not the 101. At some point it stopped, and Rotary's account says the reasons are "lost to history."
The rest of the timeline matters, because the City shows up halfway through:
- 1957. The Saint Nick's Parade on Third Street, the earliest year on record.
- 1985. The Encinitas/Leucadia Chamber of Commerce brings it back as a 7 p.m. nighttime parade.
- 1986. Patty Paige serves as grand marshal. In October, Encinitas incorporates as a city.
- 1987 to 1989. The Chamber runs the parade, with Coastal Encinitas Rotary volunteers marshaling it.
- 1990 and 1991. Financial and logistical problems cancel it both years.
- 1991. The Chamber asks the City Council for funding.
- 1992. Planning starts on a City-led version.
- 1993. The first official City of Encinitas Holiday Parade runs on Coast Highway 101. It has run every year since.
So the revived parade beat the City by about a year. Its second year back came in 1986, the same year Encinitas broke away from county jurisdiction and became a city.
How a brand-new city ended up running a Christmas parade
Rotary describes a new city that was short on resources and staff and couldn't keep up with a growing Christmas parade. Coastal Encinitas Rotary filled the gap by supplying the volunteers who marshaled the route during those early years.
The money problem came next. After the 1990 and 1991 cancellations, the Chamber went to the City Council for money. According to Rotary, the Council approved funding on one condition: the City's Community Services Department would oversee the parade, with help from a community parade committee that included Chamber representatives. That deal is why it's called the City of Encinitas Holiday Parade today. Paying for it meant the City would also run it.
It has grown since then. The City's release for the 2025 parade called it the largest parade of its kind in North County, with more than 10,000 spectators and more than 85 entries last December.
What the 40 is counting
The City held its official birthday party weeks ago. On Saturday, October 3, 2026, Encinitas celebrated "40 years of the City of Encinitas" with an '80s theme that included line dance lessons, a live band and an outdoor movie, all free.
The parade theme continues that celebration into December. The City's 2026 parade page describes it this way:
"This year, the Holiday Parade theme is '40 and Still Fabulous,' reflecting on our history and looking forward to our future."
The parade keeps its own count, and it's a much bigger number. The City called last year's event the 68th Annual Holiday Parade. That number traces back to Third Street, not to incorporation. A float built around "40 years" is therefore celebrating the City inside an event that started long before it.
Each year's theme also shapes the grand marshal pick. In 2025 the theme was "Peace by the Pacific," and the grand marshal was Bill Harman, known around town as "Pastor Bill." The City chose him for his decades of work promoting peace, and he has lived in Encinitas since 1982. Mural artist Kevin Anderson was grand marshal in 2024. The 2026 parade page doesn't name a grand marshal.
Groups that want in still have time. Entry applications close November 13. Fees are $75 for nonprofit groups, $150 for private groups and $200 for commercial businesses. Late applications are accepted if space allows, with a $25 late fee, and credit card payments carry a 3.7% convenience fee. Last year, entries competed for awards including Best Use of Theme, Best Use of Lights, Best Spirit, Best Performance and Best Overall.
Parade night, using last year as a guide
The 2026 page confirms the date, the 5:30 p.m. start and the route on South Coast Highway 101 between D and J streets. It doesn't list road closures, shuttles or pre-parade events. Last year's setup gives a reasonable idea of what to expect, but check the City page before you go:
- Road closure. In 2025, Coast Highway 101 closed at 4 p.m., and the parade traveled south from D Street to J Street.
- Free parking and shuttles. In 2025, lots at San Dieguito Academy High School, at Nardo and Melba roads, and at Ecke Sports Park/YMCA on Saxony Road had free parking. Shuttles ran about every 20 minutes starting at 4 p.m., with the last downtown pickup at 8:30 p.m. Riders got on and off at the NCTD bus station on Vulcan Avenue, half a block from the route. ADA-accessible shuttles ran from San Dieguito Academy.
- Before the parade. In 2025, a tree lighting and a visit from Santa started at 5 p.m. in the Lumberyard Shops courtyard, between H and I streets.
Street parking near the route was limited last year, and traffic codes were enforced.
The rest of the season
The parade isn't the only Encinitas holiday tradition that's older than the City. The Encinitas Holiday Street Fair comes close and may beat it. Encinitas 101 MainStreet says it has coordinated the fair since 1984, two years before incorporation. Kennedy Faires dates the Holiday Street Fair's continuous run to 1989. Either way, the fair is one of the oldest stops in a season that runs from early November to mid-December.
These are the confirmed 2026 dates, in order.
November
- Saturday, Nov. 7. The Olivenhain Town Council Arts & Crafts Fair runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Olivenhain Meeting Hall grounds, 423 Rancho Santa Fe Road.
- Starting Friday, Nov. 20. Lightscape at San Diego Botanic Garden opens its fifth season and runs through January 3. Adult tickets start at $28 and children's at $18. Children 2 and under are free, and prices vary by date. Parking is $15 per vehicle in advance or $20 on site, if spaces remain.
- Sunday, Nov. 22. The Encinitas Holiday Street Fair fills six blocks of downtown Coast Highway 101 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Encinitas 101 MainStreet hosts it, with vendors, entertainment stages, children's rides and a beer garden.
- Saturday, Nov. 28. Cardiff 101 Main Street's Small Business Saturday includes a giveaway of a limited-edition Cardiff-by-the-Sea poster with purchase. The same day, the Cardiff 101 Holiday Passport to Savings becomes available, with discounts good through January 31, 2027.
- Starting Sunday, Nov. 29. Deck the Windows: Downtown Encinitas Holiday Art Week runs through December 6.
December
- Saturday, Dec. 5. The Holiday Parade on South Coast Highway 101 starts at 5:30 p.m. The decorated downtown windows from Deck the Windows will still be up along the route.
- Sunday, Dec. 6. Cardiff's free Kringle Mingle takes over Aberdeen Drive with local makers, children's crafts and live music. The detailed schedule lists activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Santa photos from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The page header shows a shorter time window, so check the page before you go. Deck the Windows ends the same day.
- Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 13. Encinitas Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the San Dieguito Academy Performing Arts Center, at 1 and 5 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
One more December tradition is worth watching for. The Encinitas Historical Society's Heritage Tree lighting marked its 31st year on December 5, 2025. The tree was planted in 1952, Luis Ortiz started decorating it in 1994, and the Society has organized the lighting since 2015.
Whatever the floats on December 5 do with "40 and Still Fabulous," the route along the 101 dates back to the City's 1993 relaunch. Before that, it was a Chamber parade, and before that, Saint Nick on Third Street. If you're planning your season around Encinitas traditions, or wondering how a place you love has changed over the decades, Baris Yucelt is always glad to talk about the city behind the parade. Find Your Perfect Home.
