More than 50 floating trees will glow across the calm waters of Upper Newport Bay starting Friday, Nov. 27, kicking off the 36th year of Newport Dunes' Lighting of the Bay and its companion Fire & Lights Festival. Opening night brings a ceremonial switch-flip by Santa around 6 p.m., with flat $15 parking for the evening. The festival also features fire performances, visits with Santa, and waterfront fire pits beneath the lights. The display runs through Jan. 3, 2027.
The event marks a beloved seasonal tradition at the waterfront resort, according to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina. As NBC Los Angeles reports, general manager Phil Ravena described Lighting of the Bay as “a holiday tradition that brings the community together year after year,” adding that the Fire & Lights Festival offers families fire performances, visits with Santa, and waterfront fire pits beneath the lights. The festival itself features over four dozen illuminated displays decorating Back Bay, alongside music, performers, and warm drinks, running Thursday through Sunday nights from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for several weeks beyond opening night, with the run skipping Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.
A Resort Built for the Occasion
Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina sits along Back Bay, with its resort and marina setting the scene for the display, per the same account.
Holiday shoppers browsing the grounds can also stop by Santa's Garden, the resort's on-site Christmas tree lot, which offers Noble, Nordmann, Grand, and Douglas firs from Oregon.
Upper Newport Bay's Protected Open Space
Upper Newport Bay's ecological reserve and nature preserve offer a quieter contrast to the festive lights. The Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Nature Preserve together represent approximately 1,000 acres of open space, according to OC Parks. OC Parks lists the ecological reserve as 752 acres and the nature preserve as approximately 135 acres. The reserve hosts up to 35,000 migratory birds at a time during winter and stands as one of Southern California's few remaining pristine estuaries.
How It Fits Into Newport Beach's Bigger Holiday Push
Lighting of the Bay runs for more than a month, while Newport Beach's more famous maritime spectacle, the Christmas Boat Parade, was scheduled for five nights in 2025, according to the Los Angeles Times. The boat parade was scheduled for Dec. 17–21, 2025, while the Back Bay display stretches for more than a month. Newport Harbor homeowners also add to the seasonal glow through the Ring of Lights competition.
Visit Newport Beach's “50 Days of Festive Fun” campaign promoted citywide light displays, boutique shopping, and seasonal dining during the 2025–26 holiday season.
For those looking to make a night of it before winter break turns hectic, Newport Dunes' grounds remain free to enter throughout the festival's run, with parking and activity tickets covering the added extras. Hoodline previously covered a Newport Harbor lights cruise back in 2018, part of the same seasonal tradition that keeps drawing crowds to the water each winter.
