Holidays on the Harbor: H-E-B Holiday Tree Lighting & Illuminated Boat Parade

Downtown Corpus Christi's big holiday night on the bayfront, long known as the Harbor Lights Festival. A 66-foot H-E-B Holiday Tree lights up at Water's Edge Park. Then the Port of Corpus Christi Illuminated Boat Parade cruises past the downtown seawall and marina, with boaters competing for titles and cash prizes. When: Saturday, Dec. 5. Water's Edge Park is open 4 to 8 p.m. with music, vendors and food trucks, and the tree lighting is at 6 p.m. The boat parade runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Where: Water's Edge Park, 602 S Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. Watch the boat parade along the downtown seawall and Corpus Christi Marina. Cost: The official listings show no admission charge, and event-listing sites describe it as free. Food and vendor items cost extra. More info: https://www.visitcorpuschristi.com/merrydays/ and https://downtowncorpuschristi.org Organizer: Downtown Corpus Christi (Downtown Management District), 518 Peoples St, 361-882-2363. The 2026 schedule comes from Visit Corpus Christi, the city's official visitor bureau.