July 4th in Newport: Everything You Need in One Spot

SECTION 1: Events
What: Old Glory Boat Parade (American Legion)
Where: Newport Harbor
When: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday
Admission: Free
Details: This patriotic-themed parade will start off Collins Island and proceed throughout Newport Harbor. A Harbor Patrol fire boat will lead close to 100 decorated boats through the harbor. The event sponsor is the American Legion Yacht Club.
Participate! Decorate your own boat and participate without any registration fee– just be sure to register here: http://www.alyc.com/event-2099396/Registration
Information: http://www.alyc.com/event-2099396
——————————
What: Independance Day on the Back Bay, with 4 bands, a beer garden, and fireworks
Where: Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina, 1131 Back Bay Drive
When: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday
Admission: $50 per car
Details: Food and live music start at 2 p.m. A beer and wine garden pass is $40. Fireworks start at 9 p.m.
Information: newportdunes.com or (800) 765-7661
——————————
What: Newport Beach Bike Parade
Where: 36th Street Park to Channel Place Park
When: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30am Monday
Admission: free
Details: Starts at 9:30am and ends at a free festival including carnival games, jump houses, arts & crafts and food. Participants are encouraged to decorate bikes, scooters, wagons and strollers and to bring their dogs on leashes.
Information: www.newportbeachca.gov/july4
——————————
What: 4th of July Flyover
Where: Above Newport Beach
When: 6:10pm – 6:15pm Monday
Admission: free (just look at the sky!)
Details: The Condor Squadron Officers’ and Airmen’s Association, a non-profit organization founded by a group of WWII fighter pilots, will fly four AT-6s over Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente on July 4
Information: N/A
——————————
What: Mariners Park Independence Day Parade & Celebration
Where: The corner of Commodore & Mariners Drive (1300 Irvine Ave)
When: 11 a.m. to 1:30pm Monday
Admission: free
Details: At the festival, there will be food for sale, and wristbands available for purchase that will allow participation in games and activities.
Information: www.marinersfoundation.com or call 949-644-3151

SECTION 2: Fireworks
Fireworks will begin here in Newport (Back Bay) and at surrounding cities at 9pm tomorrow.  Get to a high spot in order to have the best viewing.  From Balboa Peninsula, you can see at least 6 cities from 2 stories up.

NOTE: For people who have fireworks, remember that Newport Beach has banned responsible adults who want to celebrate the birthday of the Land of The Free using fireworks, even including things like sparklers, so be careful out there.

SECTION 3: Police in the War Zone
The police will be using a Show of Force on Balboa this year, in an attempt to stop what council described as “inappropriate celebrations”.  This will now be the third year was of the roads NOT being shut down.  Expect that there will be a continuing effort to destroy over 100 years of traditional street celebration on Balboa.  Do you think it is appropriate to allow cars to drive through tens of thousands of people– most of who probably have had a drink or two (or three)?  I believe this is one of the most irresponsible actions our city has been doing over the last several years.  We ALL know what happens on those roads, and we need to close them for the safety of everyone.  Have your voice heard and email citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov to let our city know.  This is a huge safety issue being completely ignored in order to accomplish a political agenda.

SECTION 4: Drunk Driving & Parking
If you are coming to Balboa Peninsula, consider riding in an Uber, Lyft, or cab.  The police will be out, the drunk drivers will be out, and the parking will be absolutely atrocious (it already is).
New users of Lyft can use our code of “SAVENEWPORT” and it will pay for the whopping first $50 of your fare!
You can download Lyft here: https://www.lyft.com/invited/SAVENEWPORT

New users of Uber can use our code of “Uber4Newport” and it will pay for the first $15 of your fare.
You can download Uber here: https://get.uber.com/invite/uber4newport

You can call a Yellow Cab OC, at 714-999-9999 (MAKE NOTE: 18004mytaxi is no longer working)

SECTION 5: Dogs Thundershirts

thundershirt
If you have a dog, I cannot recommend more highly the Thundershirt to keep them calm from the noise of fireworks on the 4th.  I don’t know why being constricted and wearing shirts has a comforting effect on dogs, but it does!

SECTION 6: Supplies
Stock up!!!  If you live on the Islands or on Balboa, you know parking spots will be gone this entire weekend– even if you wanted to brave the traffic– so use services like Drizly to deliver alcohol, PostMates for food, or many other services which are springing up throughout Newport.  Or, if it comes down to it, simply call a ridesharing company to help you get to and from the store.

SECTION 7: Fines
According to the OCRegister last year: “Citations for open container, igniting fireworks and public urination will cost more as will the town’s most prevalent summer offense: illegal parking.  Examples of car-related wallet damage: If a driver blocks a driveway or a fire hydrant, normally $55, it will cost at least $165. Parking at a red curb will cost $234 instead of the usual $78. And parking in a Newport Beach handicapped spot? $1,353.  Additionally, a tow away could cost a lot of dough: a minimum of $264, according to the two companies that haul illegally parked cars from Newport Beach.”
In a blatant violation of the 14th Amendment, these fines are tripled on the 4th of July only in the “Safety Enhancement Zone”.   Hey– we can fight that battle on July 5th.  For now, let’s celebrate the spirit that our country was founded in, rather than where it is today.

ENJOY THE 4TH!!!!

 

Comments

comments

About Mike Glenn

Mike is the founder and publisher of Save Newport and Chair of Government Relations for the Elks Lodge. He writes, shoots photos, and edits, but much of the time, he's just "the IT guy". He can be reached at: Google+, Facebook, or via email, at michael.glenn@devion.com