Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Announces 2009 Theme, Oldest Holiday Boat Parade in the U.S. Celebrates 101st Anniversary
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is the largest and oldest holiday parade of its kind. The parade celebrates 101 years of tradition this December 16th - 20th in the Southern California coastal city of Newport Beach, CA.
Newport Beach, CA (Vocus/PRWEB ) October 30, 2009 -- The annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in Southern California is the oldest holiday boat parade in the United States, delighting generations since 1908. The 101st edition of this quintessentially California holiday tradition kicks off Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Newport Harbor and continues each night through Sunday, Dec. 20. The parade starts off Bay Island at 6:30 p.m. and finishes in the same spot at approximately 9:00 p.m. each evening.
2008 Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Entry Celebrates 100 Years
With the theme of “The Joys of Christmas Toys,” the visually stunning parade is expected to again attract an audience of over one million spectators over the five consecutive evenings. There are over 20 holiday boat parades from coast to coast across the U.S. but the Newport Beach water-borne pageant trumps them all for enduring and remaining popular over the past ten decades. The parade has been described as the aquatic equivalent to the spectacle of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.
The dazzling parade features an armada of nearly 100 festively lit and decorated boats – ranging from small skiffs and kayaks to enormous multimillion dollar yachts. The colorful, twinkling parade winds its way nearly 14 miles around the harbor to give viewers in restaurants, yacht clubs, on public beaches, and in private homes an incredible sight.
Adding a festive holiday backdrop to the parade is the annual “Ring of Lights” contest, hosted by the Commodores Club of Newport Beach. Beautifully and impressively decorated bayside estates and businesses surrounding the harbor go “all out” with their own festive holiday displays, featuring everything from elaborate roof-top animated scenes to fanciful dancing Christmas trees. With its judged categories and prizes, the “Ring of Lights” competition has brought out fierce but friendly rivalries among harbor-side residents and is almost as celebrated as the parade itself.
About Newport Beach
Known for its picturesque views of the Pacific and one of the world’s largest small yacht harbors, Newport Beach is a chic seaside community located on Southern California’s Orange County coastline between Los Angeles and San Diego. The city is acclaimed for its beaches, mild year-round weather, boating/yachting community, sophisticated atmosphere, international film festival, three annual epicurean festivals and the oldest holiday boat parade in the nation. Newport Beach was named “One of the top ten resort towns in the U.S” by AOL Travel in 2008. For additional travel information, please call (800) 94-COAST or visit us online at www.visitnewportbeach.com.
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