Santa visits Petaluma during annual riverboat cruise

It wasn’t the jingle of bells or a jolly laugh that signaled Santa was near to the more than 200 people gathered along the Petaluma River’s Turning Basin on Saturday afternoon, but instead the blaring horn of a massive tugboat as it approached the city’s D Street Bridge.

From onboard the decorated vessel, adorned with Christmas lights and garlands, Mr. and Mrs. Claus waved to cheering crowds that lined the riverfront before disembarking near the East Washington Street River Plaza Shopping Center.

There, 5-year-old Audrey Gambonini and her parents were among the dozens of families who eagerly awaited their chance to take a photograph with the pair.

She used the opportunity to give Santa her wish list, as well as a drawing of a “floating cat,” said her mother, Devon Gambonini, a Rohnert Park resident.

“We like to bring our daughter to celebrate the small hometown events,” Devon Gambonini said. “I think it’s important to me to show her that community feel.”

Saturday’s riverboat cruise, a Petaluma tradition, was hosted by Visit Petaluma, a tourism program managed by the Petaluma Downtown Association nonprofit.

It marked the kickoff of the holiday retail season and was intended to encourage families to shop at the town’s small businesses, said Marie McCusker, the executive director for the Petaluma Downtown Association.

While the downtown association held a similar event last year, organizers decided to limit the public’s contact with Mr. and Mrs. Claus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

After his ride on the Petaluma River, a cruise that was made smoother due to the completion of a federal dredging project about two months prior, Santa climbed into a yellow ’64 Mustang convertible and greeted downtown visitors from a safe distance.

With looser COVID-19 restrictions than last year, Santa was able to again meet with families though with some modifications, McCusker said. Instead of sitting on Santa’s lap, kids and their families posed for photos from a stage near where he and Mrs. Claus were seated.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Claus wore masks throughout the event, and visitors were encouraged to don theirs while taking photos with the pair.

“It’s wonderful,” said McCusker of this year’s event. “People are really wanting to get out, and wanting to connect. They want normality back.”

That sentiment rang true for Petaluma resident Celia Gomez, who attended Saturday’s event with her two daughters, who are 8 and 4.

She said last year’s holiday season was “sad” for her and her family due to the pandemic. This year, the arrival of Santa Claus to the Petaluma Riverfront was just the beginning of their holiday festivities.

The three intended to go home to put up the family’s Christmas tree and other holiday decorations after photos with Santa and a stop at a nearby ice cream shop, Gomez said.

“We are happy that Petaluma can bring these events again,” Gomez said.

Saturday’s gathering was emceed by Petaluma Pete, a local icon known for playing the piano in the city’s downtown core.

A blue-haired clown twisted balloons into various forms, including 3-foot-tall candy canes and brown reindeer, for children who attended the event.

Attendees were also treated to songs by the Pacific Empire Chorus, a women’s a cappella group that recruits members from Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties.

Just over half of the 40-person ensemble attended the event, one that they’ve participated in for the past decade, said Patty Pennycook, the chorus’ director.

She added that Saturday’s riverboat cruise was the first in-person performance the group has done together since the onset of the pandemic last year.

“It fills the community with holiday spirit,” Pennycook said of the event. “We think it’s fabulous to come together with the community to share our harmony.”

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.