104th Newport Beach Boat Parade – 12-19-12 to 12-23-12

The 2012 Newport Beach Boat Parade will run from 12/19/12 to 12/23/12. This amazingly colorful, holiday spectacle has been part of my family’s  holiday traditions for as long as I can remember.

This year’s theme is “Surf, Sand and Santa.” The parade starts at 6:30 each night just off Bay Island and ends in the same spot at about 9:00 pm. The parade is about 14 miles long. Click the link to see the Newport Beach Boat Parade Route.

Every year, boats are decorated with lights and other decorations.  Some participants have been known to spend as much as $50,000 to decorate their boats for the Newport Beach Boat Parade.  So, come enjoy the lights, the music and the beautiful boats in this incredible setting.

In addition to the boats themselves, another holiday event to enjoy in the Newport Harbor is the Ring of Lights. Many of the homes and businesses along the bay also get in the spirit by decorating for the holiday season with lights and decorations. To take advantage of these decorations and lights, be sure to take a spin around the harbor and enjoy more of Newport Beach’s holiday festivities.

Again this year there will be fireworks on 12/23/12 for the last day of this year’s Newport Beach boat parade at approxinately 9:00pm. And, added this year, there will also be fireworks on the opening night of the parade at about 6:20pm. The fireworks will be launched from the Balboa pier and should be visible all around the harbor.

The awards for the Newport Beach Boat Parade and the Ring of Lights will be handed out on January 25, 2013 at the Balboa Bay Club.

Please send us your pictures and let us know what you think about this year’s Newport Beach Boat Parade.

Click to see Newport Beach Homes for Sale.