Entrants Wanted for the Annual July 4 Old Glory Boat Parade in Newport Harbor
By Christopher Trela – June 20, 2024
Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/entrants-wanted-for-the-annual-july-4-old-glory-boat-parade-in-newport-harbor/
Whether you have a beautiful luxury yacht or a luxurious Duffy boat, it’s time to decorate your watercraft and participate in the annual Old Glory Boat Parade on Thursday, July 4, beginning at 1 p.m.
This is part of the three-day American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291 Centennial event, celebrating its 100th anniversary.
This year’s theme is “Stars, Stripes, and Sails,” so it shouldn’t be too difficult to decorate boats to celebrate this theme.
Leading the parade will be the American Legion Yacht Club boat Valor with Grand Marshal Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill, followed by VIP boats filled with active duty servicemembers and veterans.
According to the American Legion Yacht Club, participation in this all-volunteer boat parade is an extension of the celebration of volunteers and community programs for the betterment of Newport Beach and surrounding communities.
The parade will begin at 1 p.m. off the east end of Lido Island and follow a course similar to the Christmas Boat Parade that circumnavigates the harbor until it concludes at 3:30 p.m.
July 4 Old Glory Boat Parade 2023 / Photo by Lawrence Sherwin
All boaters are invited to decorate their vessels and participate in the parade. Registration is free and available online at the American Legion Yacht Club website at www.alyc.com. There will be skipper meetings on Friday, June 28 and Tuesday, July 2 for those interested in joining in the parade.
Participants will compete for class awards such as Best Decorated, Finest Costumes, Most Creative, and the Commodore’s Award, with class winners to be announced at an Awards Banquet on Sunday, July 16 at 5:30 pm.
“We are encouraging local boaters to join us for the parade,” said Commodore David Campagnari. “It’s a lot of fun and a very fulfilling event to see the community appreciate the effort to decorate your boat and celebrate our nation’s independence in style. For the general public, we hope you include the parade as part of your day. Celebrating with your friends and family is a can’t-miss opportunity.”
July 4 Old Glory Boat Parade 2023 / Photo by Lawrence Sherwin
The Old Glory Boat Parade began in the 1950s as the Character Boat Parade. As the years passed, the Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce took the helm, changed the theme, and built the event into a grand parade. Today it’s hailed as one of California’s largest, longest-running patriotic boat parades.
The parade is free to watch from most public beaches, docks, and boardwalks throughout the scenic harbor area—including Balboa Island, always a popular destination on July 4. Parking on July 4 can be tricky almost anywhere in Newport Beach, especially on Balboa Peninsula, so arrive early.
Please visit www.alyc.com for more information about the boat parade and www.al291.com for information about the three-day Centennial Celebration.
By Christopher Trela – June 20, 2024
Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/entrants-wanted-for-the-annual-july-4-old-glory-boat-parade-in-newport-harbor/
On May 23, the City Council approved a pilot program to change the harbor mooring fields configuration and approved changes to the Harbor Code to accommodate the proposed pilot program and the long-term plan for all the moorings in the harbor.
Speak Up Newport is hosting a meeting on Wednesday, June 14 to discuss the mooring plan with guest speaker Bill Kenney, the former Harbor Commission Chair. He will describe the Harbor Commission’s Open Water Initiative and the reasons for the changes to the mooring fields.
The valves, which were built in the 1970s to replace a system from the early 1900s, are necessary to prevent flooding in low-lying areas. They are manually operated, and need to be closed during high tides to prevent seawater from flooding the streets. Once the tide recedes, crews reopen the valves — nearly 90 in total — to allow water to flow from streets to the bay.
City Council this week unanimously approved a pilot project, called the open water initiative, related to mooring field design.
Councilmembers voted 7-0 on Tuesday (May 23) in support of the ordinance that would amend Title 17 (the city’s harbor code) related to mooring standards and permits. The approved action, stemming from Harbor Commission recommendations, will reconfigure mooring field C, which sits between Bay Island and the Balboa Peninsula ferry station.
March showers have given way to April flowers. The recent storms left in their wake perfect conditions throughout Southern California for thriving vegetation – a super bloom resulting in lush landscapes carpeted with abundant wildflowers.
The storms also replenished many of our major water supply reservoirs and significantly refilled our groundwater basin, resulting in higher-than-average levels compared to many years when these resources remained in limited supply indefinitely.
These same storms have another, less favorable effect on our community, as Newport Beach is at the end of the water “pipe” when it comes to trash and debris flow.
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