Decks The Hulls: Newport Annual Christmas Boat Parade

Christmas Spirit was palpable this year during the 104^th Annual Newport Harbor Boat Parade in Southern California.

Every year, people crowd around the sandy edge of Newport Beach’s Balboa Island to admire the famous holiday light display. This year, nearly ninety boats, yachts and cruise ships were decked from bow to stern with strings of colorful lights according to this year’s theme: “Surf, Sand, and Santa.” Over the course of an hour, the boats float around outskirts of the harbor at a lazy pace before thousands of spectators. Holiday music on loud speakers is turned up high while there is a constant exchange of Christmas greetings between boat passengers on deck and spectators on the shore.

Into the night, the last boat has passed, the rested harbor is quiet, but the show is not over yet. Locals flood the streets and walk from house to house to admire waterfront homes and spectacular prize-winning decorations. Once every boat has completed the entire parade route, carolers migrate along side streets accompanied by blazing fireworks show over the harbor.

Newport is one of the most festive places to spend the holidays and there is a large selection of beachside vacation rentals to choose from. At any given point on the waterfront, one could be surrounded by a panorama of lights: twinkling on boats, sparkled reflections on the water, illuminations in the homes, and final fireworks that light up the dark navy sky. Californians walk on sandy shores in Santa hats and delight in a rare glimpse of artificial snow that rains down from elaborately ornamented homes. Christmas cheer is inescapable at the Newport boat parade; it is a century old holiday tradition that continues to delight thousands of people every year.

Article written by Lauren Goerz.