Balloon Parade Returns to San Diego Waterfront
December 6, 2011
Byline: Nu Yang
SAN DIEGO — Boaters and their families will be among the estimated 100,000 spectators expected at the annual Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade, starting at 10 a.m. Dec. 28.
Marching bands, decorated floats and a procession of enormous balloons will fill the downtown streets and converge on the waterfront. The parade will start near the County Administration Building on Harbor Drive and run south, ending on the corner of Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway near Seaport Village. The parade will be televised locally and nationally.
Event organizers recommend that shoreside spectators grab a seat in the grandstand near the Maritime Museum of San Diego for the best views. Grandstand tickets are $15 until Dec. 14 and $20 after that date. There is a $2 processing fee for each purchase.
No cars will be allowed on Harbor Drive after 8:30 a.m.
In addition to the parade, scheduled festivities include the 15th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals Finals, the Bumble Bee Foods 5K Run/Walk and the Amtrak Big Bay Family Festival at the Broadway Pier, with games, activities and entertainment for all ages. The event concludes with a Battle of the Bands.
The balloon parade is presented by the San Diego County Credit Union and is a Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Production. For tickets and more information, visit holidaybowl.com.
