Holidays at the Port of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES—This holiday photo from the Port of Los Angeles was taken on Dec. 21, 1953 of Tug No. 10 at Berth 161.

During the Christmas season in the 1950s and early 1960s, carolers would board decorated vessels and sing to crew members aboard ships moored throughout the harbor. These were the early roots of what would become the LA Harbor Holiday Boat Parade.

In December 1962 a small group of boat owners decorated their boats and cruised through the Port’s Main Channel shouting holiday greetings to each other, and anyone along the waterfront. The San Pedro Chamber of Community Development and Commerce adopted the tradition and formally organized the parade in 1963.

Port of Los Angeles photo