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2012 Newport Beach |
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The 2012 Newport Beach Boat Parade is the premier Christmas event not only for Orange County and Los Angeles but Southern California. With over 103 years of history, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is viewed by over one and half million people each year. Newport Harbor comes alive with decorations for the boat parade. Homes, yachts, docks whole landscapes are fully decorated and transformed into a magical holiday experience. Newport Beach begins its holiday decorations after Thanksgiving and by the first of December the harbor is richly illuminated with thousands of lights and hundreds of themed estates. The parade takes place over 5 nights from the second Wednesday in December to the second Sunday. This year's parade is Dec 19, 2012 through Dec 23, 2012. |
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Call (949) 675-0551 for reservations |
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Newport Landing Whale Watching 309 Palm St #A - Newport Beach CA. 92661 |
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Copyright © 2001 Newport Landing Whale Watching |
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Newport Landing provides cruises throughout the month of December twice each night and also cruises each night of the 5 nights of the parade. General admission cruises are 2 hours in length and each ship is fully decorated and travels in the parade. |
| Wednesday December 19, 2012 5:45 pm-7:45 pm | Wednesday December 19, 2012 8:00 pm-10:00 pm | |
| Thursday December 20, 2012 5:45 pm-7:45 pm | Thursday December 20, 2012 8:00 pm-10:00 pm | |
| Friday December 21, 2012 5:45 pm-7:45 pm | Friday December 21, 2012 8:00 pm-10:00 pm | |
| Saturday December 22, 2012 5:45 pm-7:45 pm | Saturday December 22, 2012 8:00 pm-10:00 pm | |
| Sunday December 23, 2012 5:45 pm-7:45 pm | Sunday December 23, 2012 8:00 pm-10:00 pm | |
Along with general admission cruises Newport Landing offers private rentals throughout the month including each night of the parade. Private rentals are a favorite for holiday parties, company Christmas parties, and other holiday celebrations. |
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Newport Beach Boat Parade started in 1907 with John Scarpa an Italian gondolier and Joseph Beek a developer and owner of the Balboa Ferry Line. The parade began with John Scarpa taking a group of visitors from Pasadena across the bay in a gondola decorated with Japanese lanterns. Although not during the month of December a more formal parade took place on July 4, 1908, Scarpa along with his fellow small boat operators put together a loosely organized event consisting of nine vessels. The parade illuminated by Japanese lanterns was led by Scarpa's gondola and followed by canoes. The next parade was several years later in 1913 and was called the Illuminated Water Parade. The boats were judged and prizes for the best decorated and most spectacularly lit vessels were given. 1914 and 1915 saw even larger parades. As many as forty launches, canoes and rowboats participated in the celebration. The spectacular event featured a derelict boat hull that was set afire, followed by a dramatic "rescue" of passengers, also a "Battle of Fireworks" between two launches and the explosion of two underwater mines took place. |
Viewing the parade by ship is a very popular option for many. It does require a bit more planning as reservations should be made at least a week out and a month or more is not uncommon especially for weekend dates. But besides the additional planning, seeing the parade by ship gives you a full appreciation of the parade and not only the ships in full décor, but all of the homes and estates that line the bay as well. There would be no other way to view all of these homes except by boat. Instead of the parade lasting 15 minutes when viewing from a stationary spot on shore, the parade lasts the full 2 hours of the cruise. There is an important distinction between ships that cruise "in the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade" and those that view it as it passes by. |
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For shore based options for viewing the Newport Beach Boat Parade here are some popular locations to view the parade. Balboa boardwalk on the Balboa Peninsula, along East Balboa Blvd (only the non residential harbor access points), Peninsula Point Beach, Pirates Cove on the southern most part of Newport Bay (Corona Del Mar), along Bayside Drive (only the non residential harbor access points), all around Balboa Island, Little Island, Collins Island, Lido Park, Lido Isle, and most of the number streets on Balboa Peninsula (again only at public access points). Shore based viewing has some advantages such as it is usually free. Times that the parade will pass different Newport Bay shoreline locations |
| 6:30 pm Bay Island Channel (starting point) | 7:47 pm Bay Shores Community Beach |
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6:34 pm Newport Landing Cruises |
7:54 pm Balboa Bay Club |
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6:35 pm Balboa Boat Rentals (Balboa Peninsula Side) |
7:56 pm Orange Coast College Crew Base |
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6:37 pm Balboa Pavilion, Davey’s Locker, Harborside Restaurant |
7:57 pm Newport Beach Boy Scout Sea Base |
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6:50 pm Peninsula Point Beach |
7:58 pm Duffy Electric Boat Company |
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6:52 pm Pirate’s Cove (Baby beach) |
8:00 pm Joe’s Crab Shack, Rusty Pelican, Charthouse, Villa Nova |
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6:56 pm Coast Guard Station |
8:03 pm Lido Marina Village |
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6:58 pm Balboa Yacht Club |
8:04 pm Lido Park & Bridge | |
7:01pm Bahia Yacht Club |
8:09 pm Via Lido |
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| 7:04 pm Balboa Island Bridge | 8:28 pm Lido Island Bend |
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7:06 pm Little Island Beach |
8:33 pm Lido Isle Bridge |
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7:09 pm Little Island Point |
8:40 pm Tip Of Lido Peninsula |
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7:12 pm Balboa Island South Bayfront |
8:42 pm Lido Marina Park |
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| 7:18 pm Balboa Island Ferry Crossing (Balboa Island Side) | 8:45 pm American Legion |
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7:20 pm Collins Island |
8:48 pm 15th Street Balboa Peninsula |
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7:25 pm Balboa Island North Bayfront |
8:52 pm 10th Street Peninsula |
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7:30 pm Balboa Island Bridge |
8:55 pm Newport Harbor Yacht Club |
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| 7:37 pm Harbor Island | 9:00 pm-9:30 pm Bay Island (Finish) |
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7:44 pm PCH Bridge |
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Viewing the 2012 Newport Beach Boat Parade From A Bayside RestaurantFor those interested in viewing the parade by restaurant here are the following restaurants with bayside views of the Newport Beach Boat Parade: |
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Newport Landing Restaurant - (949) 675-2373 Newport Landing provides the best of Southern California - incomparable cuisine, exciting lists of wines and spirits, and a unique waterfront location from which to enjoy Lunch, Brunch, Dinner or a tasty appetizer from the upstairs Oyster Bar. |
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Harborside Restaurant - (949) 673-4633 The restaurant serves lunch, dinner and Sunday buffet. Where every seat is a water view, Harborside specializes in fresh seafood, Alaskan king crab, Australian lobster, steaks and local favorites. |
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Rusty Pelican - (949) 642-3431 A Newport gem, Rusty Pelican offers a variety of fresh fish, steaks, tantalizing appetizers, and irresistible desserts. Experience our weekly happy hour, Sunday brunch, an award-winning wine list, full bar, and patio seating with a view of Newport Harbor. |
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Villa Nova Restaurant - (949) 642-7880 The Villa Nova has been a Southern California dining tradition since 1933. Originally located on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, Villa Nova's famous clientele included Charlie Chaplin, Bing Crosby, John Wayne and Dean Martin to name a few. It was at Villa Nova that Joe DiMaggio took Marilyn Monroe on a blind date and where Vincent Minelli proposed to Judy Garland. |
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Blue Water Grill - (949) 675-FISH We source the globe for the highest quality fresh seafood. We develop and maintain relationships with reputable seafood suppliers. We adhere to a daily ritual of controls and systems to ensure the integrity of our seafood. Bluewater is casual, fun, owner-operated, offers a kid's menu, oyster bar, patio dining and full bar with a great wine list and Happy Hour. Come in an enjoy our legendary hospitality. |
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Balboa Bay Club - (888) 464-9556 We invite you to discover unparalleled award-winning dining and inspired cuisine at The Balboa Bay Club & Resort. Sample a variety of pleasing dishes at the First Cabin Restaurant, while overseeing a stunning view of the Newport Beach harbor. Here, guests can experience an epicurean delight appealing to any appetites. Experience a full array of distinct dining options designed to suit your every need. |
| Pictures provided by John L. Blom Photography | |
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As the name suggests the Newport Beach Boat Parade is centered on boats or probably a better term would be ships, well and boats and all sorts of other water craft. With over 200 plus entrants in the parade it has it all. The Newport Beach Boat Parade also is about the homes and estates in full décor (in fact there is a separate contest just for this category called "The Ring Of Lights"), and the people participating in the parade (guests, musicians, spectators, boat owners, families, friends). So how does the boat parade go, what can you see? Well this depends greatly on how and where you are seeing the boat parade. |
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For those of you viewing the parade from shore it is a 15 minute event in which 200 plus ships and other watercraft pass by, unless you are located by one of the major viewing points, music may or may not be heard. The lead boats are usually the ones in the running for awards. There may be some breaks in the parade as parade control boats stop the flow of the parade for cross traffic etc. There may be some cheering from other spectators, but that is pretty much it. It is a fun 15 minutes, but with driving down, parking, and then driving back it can be a pretty big time investment for 15 minutes. |
Viewing from a restaurant or other commercial local is about the same as viewing from shore except there is the ambiance of the establishment you are watching it from. Once the parade passes (also it is difficult to get a great view of the parade as many times the best seats are booked many moths in advance) it is over about 15 minutes total. Some establishments will have count downs to the parade and post parade activities, but it is hard to compete with the energy of the parade itself once that has passed by. Viewing the parade by ship, as a part of the Newport Beach Boat Parade means that for the entire time you are on the ship you are in the parade. You will see the parade from beginning to end, and view the majority of the homes/estates in full décor. You will also see the carolers, different main points along the parade route that have music, other festivities, and all the spectators as you go by. If you do not owe a boat or choose not to deal with bringing a boat in to Newport Bay during the parade, catching one of the general admission cruises will give you 2 hours of being in the parade. There is no better way to see the parade than to be in it. |
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