114th Newport Beach Christmas boat parade brings holiday cheer to the harbor

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — The Newport Beach Christmas boat parade is something many look forward to.

“We’re the oldest and longest running Christmas boat parade in the world. We’re one of New York Times top 10 things to do in North America for Christmas. We’re Yahoo! Travel’s No. 1 thing to do for Christmas and we are Newport Beach’s Christmas card to the entire world,” said David Beek, co-chairman of the Newport Beach Christmas boat parade.

Beek says the boat parade is a free event that draws more than a million visitors to Newport Beach.

He says his grandfather started the event 114 years ago. He says it originally was a summertime event and transitioned into a Christmas parade in the late 20s.

Boat owners pour time and effort into decorating their boats for the parade. For one couple, their theme this year is jungle cruise and they’re utilizing fire as a decoration.

“Nora and I, when we started thinking about what it would be like, we picked Snoopy because he’s kind of a great mascot. So every year he has a different theme, but he’s consistent through all the many, many years,” said Greg Killingsworth, a parade participant.

Beek says more than 100 boats participate in the parade every year and it runs 14 miles along the harbor.

The Newport Beach Christmas parade continues to grow every year and is the highlight of the holiday season for many.

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