(Photo courtesy of Newport Beach and Company, and used with permission.)
Expect everything from kayaks to yachts among the more-than-100 lighted vessels in this year’s parade. According to Newport Beach and Company, some boat owners spend as much as $50,000, decorating their parade entries–and the results can include animation, carolers, dancers and more, in addition to the lights.
This year’s parade dates are Wednesday, December 18th through Sunday, December 22nd, beginning each evening at 6:30 in the Balboa Village area. As is traditional, Wednesday evening’s parade starts with a fireworks show–and Sunday evening’s will end the same way.
The parade route covers 14.7 miles, and ends just outside Bay Island at 9 pm. (Warning: over a million people attend the parade every year, as you might expect! Be sure to arrive early to get parking and a good viewing area.)