UPDATE December 28, 2021 – The Holiday Bowl game has been cancelled after UCLA announced it was unable to participate:
The UCLA football team is unable to participate in tonight’s San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl due to COVID-19 protocols within the Bruins’ program. pic.twitter.com/rHXEmGv9gl
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) December 28, 2021
The San Diego waterfront will come alive on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 when the 30th annual Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade makes its way down North Harbor Drive.
The parade kicks off at 10 am near the County Administration Building on North Harbor Drive proceeding south and ends just south of Broadway and Pacific Highway at approximately 11:30 am.
This year’s parade theme is “New Beginnings,” and the grand marshal is San Diego Padres’ pitcher Joe Musgrove, who threw the first no-hitter game in the Padres’ 53-season history this past April.
The Port is the title sponsor of the parade, which is often referred to as “America’s Largest Balloon Parade” because of the number of giant inflatables. In addition to the 25 balloons this year, there will also be several bands, including the UCLA Bruin Marching Band and the North Carolina State Marching Band. Four floats and more than 25 specialty units will complete the lineup along with several parade dignitaries.
“The Port of San Diego is proud to be the title sponsor of the Holiday Bowl Parade and joins the entire region in welcoming the parade back after its absence last year,” said Chairman Michael Zucchet, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “The parade and the Holiday Bowl Game are a beloved holiday tradition that bring so much joy and excitement to our residents and visitors, and also contribute significant tourism and economic benefits to our region.”
The parade and the Holiday Bowl 5k walk/run, which begins at 9:45 am on North Harbor Drive, lead up to the San Diego County Credit Union and Holiday Bowl Game, which takes place at 5 pm, and is the first football game to be played at Petco Park and in downtown San Diego.
Parking for the parade is extremely limited and the Port of San Diego encourages ridesharing or the use of public transportation. The San Diego Trolley has convenient stations with service to the Harbor Drive and Embarcadero areas with free and paid parking lots. These are located at the Fashion Valley, Old Town, and America Plaza stations. For information about parade-day transportation, visit sdmts.com.
Street closures for the parade begin at 7 am and include North Harbor Drive from Grape Street to Broadway, Pacific Highway from North Harbor Drive to Broadway, one southbound lane on Pacific Highway from Grape Street to Ash Street and North Harbor Drive from Broadway to Pacific Highway. All streets will reopen at approximately 12 pm.
The parade will be televised nationally on Bally Sports Network. For more details and a map of the parade route, visit holidaybowl.com.
