On Dec. 14, at 5 p.m. an armada of miniature ships will light up the night to celebrate the holidays and everyone is invited to the party at the Model Yacht Pond on Vacation Isle.

“The Parade of Lights is our most popular event of the year,” said Kris Sullen, vice commodore of the Scale Division of the San Diego Argonauts. “This event is similar to the Parade of Lights you see on San Diego Bay and Mission Bay. We do the same thing here, except our boats are a bit smaller.”

Jeff Sparksworthy has one of the larger boats in the parade, it pays tribute to a piece of San Diego’s history.

“My ship is a model based on the ferry that used to sail from San Diego to Coronado,” said Sparksworthy. “It is a ‘double-ended’ ferry that has propellers on each end so the boat can turn around to dock.”

Before he found the Model Yacht Pond in Mission Bay, Robin Cahhalsimpson spent his childhood sailing toy boats in what was once the Queen of England’s private pool. Now he owns two model yachts and floats them in the little pond on Vacation Isle.

“I have two of my fleet here that I will have in the parade, my gray and black boat is a scale rendition of a Royal Air Force Air Sea Rescue boat and firefighter,” said Cahhalsimpson. “The second boat I have is a fishing trawler. I have little low voltage lights on it that operate from batteries in the back of the boat.”

The San Diego Argonauts have launched everything from a pirate ship that fires a water cannon, a disco party boat, turn-of-century sailing boats, and even an aircraft carrier in the past for their “Parade of Lights.”

This event draws quite a crowd, plan to arrive early, remember to dress warm, and take a lawn chair and a flashlight, the San Diego Argonauts will provide the hot chocolate.