"When Santa arrives in Petaluma, he leaves his sleigh at home." That line comes from the Petaluma Downtown Association's page for this year's arrival. It explains more about the town's December than any tree or garland. Santa and Mrs. Claus come up the Petaluma River on a Lind Marine tugboat and step off at the Turning Basin. Two weeks later, a flotilla of lit boats fills the same stretch of water. In between, the town lights its tree at Theatre Square Plaza, one short block from the basin. Petaluma's holiday season is a river season, and in 2026 it opens on a channel that was dredged less than a year ago.
The Water Under the Parade
The river doesn't stay put. It silts in, and the city has to dredge it back out. The Press Democrat reported in August 2025 that the city planned "targeted spot dredging" from the downtown Turning Basin all the way to San Pablo Bay that fall. The city worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with support from the California Coastal Conservancy. The same story set the timing in context. The previous dredging, in 2020, cost $9.7 million and came after a 17-year gap. The 2025 round came about five years later.
The Petaluma Yacht Club's cruise-in guide for visiting boaters says the dredging project was finished in December 2025. It lists the downtown Turning Basin at 8 feet deep at mean lower low water. The basin has 500 feet of transient docks with power and water, first come, first served. Day use is free, and an overnight stay costs $37. The guide says its details were current as of January 1, 2026.
The guide also explains the logistics behind the boat parade. A boat coming up from the bay passes four bridges on a trip of about 15 nautical miles. The last one is the D Street Bridge, which the City of Petaluma operates. Nobody staffs that bridge full time, so the city asks for notice before each opening:
| Opening window | Minimum notice the city requires |
|---|---|
| Weekdays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 4 hours |
| 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. | 24 hours |
| Weekends and holidays | 24 hours |
The Lighted Boat Parade runs on a Saturday evening, so it falls in the strictest row of that table. Any boat that wants to reach the basin from downriver has to plan a full day ahead.
Three Saturdays, One Shoreline
Downtown's big holiday events run on three straight Saturdays, and each one ends up at or near the water.
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Santa's Riverboat Arrival & Small Business Saturday | 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Turning Basin and River Plaza Shopping Center, 54 E. Washington St. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holiday Shopping Stroll | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Participating downtown businesses |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Light Up the Square | 6 to 8 p.m., tree lit at 7 p.m. | Theatre Square Plaza |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Lighted Boat Parade | 6 to 8 p.m. | Petaluma Turning Basin, 12 C St. |
November 28 is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Pacific Empire Chorus starts performing at 11:30 a.m., and the Clauses come in by tug around noon. Costumed dancers from the Petaluma School of Ballet's "Nutcracker" greet them. Santa and Mrs. Claus then cross the River Plaza parking lot to a tent outside Taps on the River for family photos. They leave at 1:30 p.m. The Visit Petaluma listing gives the same date.
December 5 is the longest day downtown. The Holiday Shopping Stroll happens inside participating businesses, with Santa and Mrs. Claus, music, performances and in-store offers. The stroll ends at 5 p.m., and Light Up the Square starts at 6, with the tree lit at 7. That leaves an hour to fill near Theatre Square, and the next section covers what's new within a short walk.
December 12 brings the season back to the river. The Lighted Boat Parade, hosted by the Petaluma Yacht Club, is free and needs no reservation. Power boats, sailboats and human-powered craft can all join the flotilla. Last year's parade drew more than 50 boats and thousands of spectators, Latitude 38 reported. That was in mid-December 2025, the same month the yacht club says the dredging wrapped up. This year's flotilla is the first to go out on a channel that has been finished for a full year.
Where the Waterfront Changed Since Last December
The river is back in shape, but the blocks around it look different than they did a year ago.
The biggest change is a closing. Water Street Bistro at 100 Petaluma Blvd. North served its last meal on February 6, 2026, after 27 years, the Argus-Courier reported. No new tenant has been announced for the space. Across the boulevard, Sapo Coffee is coming to 125 Petaluma Blvd. N., the former Starbucks. In April the Press Democrat reported that the shop was waiting on permits and hoped to open between summer and fall. Sapo's own site still says "Coming Soon."
Several other places opened during the year and are now within an easy walk of the three Saturdays:
- Taste Petaluma, 120 Washington St. opened in early July. It brings Barber Cellars, Petaluma Cheese Shop, Barber Lee Spirits and Nightcap Dessert Bar together under one roof, the Press Democrat reported. It's a likely place to spend the hour between the stroll and the tree lighting on December 5.
- Blanton's Boot and Hat, 216 Petaluma Blvd. North is a western-wear shop that the Press Democrat called newly opened in August. Earlier coverage from June had it about to open.
- Alchemia Gallery, 111 Kentucky St. is an arts nonprofit. It began reopening gradually in June after smoke damage and a remodel, the Argus-Courier reported.
- Old Caz Backyard, 20 Grey St. opened August 8 at the former Block, the food truck park and beer garden, the Argus-Courier reported. Its kitchen, Caz Eats, is run by Elijah Trujillo and Kayla Hendrix, who used to run the Shokakko food truck. They make 12-inch pizzas from dough that ferments for three days, according to Sonoma Magazine. Caz Eats is open 3 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 1 to 8 p.m. on weekends, and a bigger menu is planned for spring 2027.
The opening weekend at Old Caz showed that the backyard planned to draw people from outside downtown. Sonoma Magazine reported that about 300 cyclists and 50 walkers carried a tap handle 7.3 miles from the brewery's Rohnert Park taproom to pour the first beer in Petaluma.
Working the Three Saturdays Around the Basin
Each Saturday is built around a set time at or near the basin, so planning mostly comes down to timing:
- November 28: Get to River Plaza by 11:30 a.m. for the chorus. The tug comes in around noon, and the photo tent outside Taps on the River closes when the Clauses leave at 1:30 p.m.
- December 5: Shop the stroll until 5 p.m., spend the in-between hour on Washington Street or the boulevard, and be at Theatre Square Plaza before the 7 p.m. lighting.
- December 12: Find a spot along the Turning Basin before 6 p.m. Boat owners who want to join can sign up through the Petaluma Yacht Club, and the downtown association's page says the sign-up link is "coming soon."
For parking, the yacht club's guide sends visitors meeting boaters at the basin to the four-story city parking garage across the street. The club's own lot is for members only. The guide also describes the clubhouse at the top of the south gangway. It's run by volunteers and open Friday evenings from 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 5 p.m. December 12 is a Saturday, so the clubhouse is scheduled to be open an hour before the parade starts.
At Jeff & Casey Bounsall, our work starts with how land and water shape a place, from vineyard parcels across Sonoma County to working rivers like the Petaluma. If you're weighing property in Petaluma or anywhere else in the county, we'd be glad to walk the ground with you. Work With Us.
