Save Newport Real News in Newport Beach
Contrary to popular reports, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade lives on. This year, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce announced that it would not be *managing* the Boat Parade this year– But that’s perfectly fine, because the Newport Beach Boat Parade wasn’t started by the Chamber. The role the Chamber has played is lobbying the City of Newport Beach to give it *your tax money* to put on an event that was begun far before the Chamber even existed here.
The Newport Beach Boat Parade was started by Gondoliers in the harbor, 112 years ago. Initially called the “Tournament of Lights”, the parade was founded by John Scarpa, an Italian gondolier who enjoyed his privacy, and Joseph Beek, developer of Beacon Bay, and the famous Balboa Ferry Line.
This year, big-name harbor organizers are picking up the slack from the Chamber dumping the event.
Routes are pending, but the dates will largely remain unchanged, as we hear. Many people in the harbor have already begun decorating their boats– so that expense will not go wasted, or unappreciated by the public.
Congratulations to the citizens of Newport Beach for once again showing the spirit of independence, and keeping Christmas on our harbor!
We will keep you updated as the events move forward and organization takes hold. If you would like to stay updated on this and other harbor related events, simply sign up for emails, here: https://savenewport.com/newport-harbor-parade-mailing-list/
