Newport Beach: Christmas Boat Parade Continues Tradition Unofficially

12.17.2020 | 6:30 PM | NEWPORT BEACH – Boats big and small continued a tradition of holding a parade in Newport Harbor despite the official event being cancelled, Thursday night.

The 113th Christmas Boat Parade was officially cancelled due to concerns that the event that typically draws tens of thousands could contribute to a surge in coronavirus cases but numerous groups continued the tradition unofficially.

Groups of boats gathered for the first night of the unofficial event at the tip of Lido Island in Newport Harbor around 6:30 PM.

Dozens of boats decked with lights cruised around the harbor playing music and spreading holiday cheer as some onlookers viewed the parade from land.

The event ended at around 9:30 PM and is expected to continue daily until December 20th.

Miles Madison

Miles started reporting breaking news in 2015 and has been providing high-quality news video and timely reports from the Orange County area ever since. Combining his experience as a seasoned photojournalist, radio operator and sleuth, Miles provides unrivaled multimedia news reports.