It’s one of the first and longest running holiday boat parades on the West Coast, but this year’s Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade has been docked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce announced on Wednesday, Nov. 18, the cancellation of the 112th event.
The popular holiday parade typically features elaborately decked-out boats that pass by an estimated 2 million people during its five nights. The spectators who come out to gawk at the elaborate decorations are a huge economic driver that bring millions into local businesses.
“We realize this decision has impacts on many levels for our sponsors, businesses, residents, visitors to our community and especially our dedicated boat owners and home participants,” the organizers said in their announcement. “It is one of the most cherished traditions in Newport Beach, relying upon hundreds of donated volunteer hours and expertise, and has become a signature event in Southern California.”
The annual Cruise of Lights in the Huntington Harbour is also being canceled for the second time in 58 years, however a boat parade put on by the nonprofit Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee for homeowners, a “thank you” for their decorating efforts, is still scheduled happen on Dec. 12 and 13.
Newport Beach’s parade has a storied history, starting with an Italian gondolier, John Scarpa, who would take tourists around the then-empty bay for rides. One night in 1908, near the holidays, he strung lanterns on his gondola and others in small boats started following him around. Though it was off and on through the early years, the parade has run consistently since the ’40s.
In more recent years, the boat parade was kicked off with an elaborate firework show and featured local celebrities, such as last years’ Grand Marshal Christina Anstead, reality TV star of “Flip or Flop.”
The 14-mile parade had an estimated 53 viewing locations, many from inside local restaurants with harbor views that sell out prime seats months in advance – tables and chairs that this year will be empty, due to restrictions on indoor dining just announced this week.
The parade typically brings in tourists to the seaside town, a boost to the local economy of nearly $10 million each year, it has been reported in the past.
Boats that enter range from simple sailboats strung with lights to last year’s massive 80-foot yacht Last Hurrah that took three weeks to decorate and needed a 150-foot crane to create an amusement park scene, complete with a Ferris wheel.
Greg Killingsworth was still processing news of the event cancellation when reached on Wednesday, just a day after he put finishing touches on this year’s intricate boat design he hoped would win him yet another award.
Killingsworth, known for his Snoopy themes and boat that shoots a huge flame to the sky each year, said 2020 would have been one of his best yet, a project he’s been dreaming about since last year’s event and working on throughout the year.
“I wanted to be ahead of the curve,” he said. “My boat is done.”
This year’s theme was going to be “Polar Express,” complete with 12 flames, instead of one, shooting from the deck timed to music like the Bellagio in Las Vegas, he described.
“I love the parade, it’s probably the highlight of the year to be part of that,” he said. “It’s bigger than me, I need to understand that. There are so many moving parts.”
He wished organizers would have given boat owners more advanced notice they were planning on canceling, rather than just weeks away from the planned dates because so much time goes into creating the decorations.
“I have to go down and tear it all down,” he said. “But it will be wonderful next year.
“It’s for the betterment of everybody and I can understand why they are doing it now.”
The decision to cancel Newport Beach’s event was not made lightly, organizers said, but just this week, the county was put back into the state’s purple tier, because of the coronavirus’s resurgence, putting greater restrictions on gathering.
“It was our hope that conditions would improve or at least remain static. However, looking at what is happening across the country, as well as in our own backyard, that is simply not the case,” Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steven Rosansky said in the announcement.
Though the boat parade is a no-go, the popular Ring of Lights will still shine. Homeowners around the harbor decorate their bay-front homes, which will still be judged by officials, with winners announced on Dec. 15.
Parade co-chair Larry Smith said the city’s boat parade, called Newport Beach’s “Christmas Card to the World,” needs to send a message to the community.
“This year, our message must clearly reflect the safety and well being of all concerned,” he said. “To all our partners, participants and supporters of this rich holiday tradition, we hope you will agree.”
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