Popular tradition returns to Newport Beach

  • 2022-11-27
A traditional Christmas event that has been celebrated for more than 100 years will soon be back in Newport Beach for 2022.

The Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is the host of the 114th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. Spectators will be able to watch canoes, kayaks, boats, yachts, and other vessels decorated with beautiful lights as they sail through Newport Harbor. The parade begins and ends at Tip of Lido Isle.

Boats will start from Lido Island’s east end, and pass the first public view location, Marina Park. There are over 50 locations from which people can easily view the parade, ranging from public parks to restaurants and bars. Among the suggested spots are the Lighthouse Café, the Balboa Peninsula Ferry Landing, and the Rusty Pelican Restaurant. The parade sails in and out of the inlets on Newport Bay, but does not sail into the ocean.

An Italian gondolier named John Scarpa is credited with starting the Christmas Boat Parade. In 1907, he decorated his gondola with Japanese lanterns and rowed visitors from Pasadena across Newport Bay. On July 4, 1908, Scarpa and his friends celebrated the holiday by decorating nine boats with Japanese lanterns, and the tradition was born.

The dates of this year’s parade are December 14 to 18, and the parade begins at 6:30 pm every evening of the event. When events like these are scheduled, organizers could consider using banner printing to create weather-resistant timetables and post them at viewing locations.