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/
To Residents, Yachtsmen and Newport Harbor Users:
The City of Newport Beach has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers for several years on a significant dredging project that will bring Newport Harbor to its authorized design depth which will enhance water quality, allow the bay to properly flush thus eliminating the need to dredge again for many years, remove some unsuitable materials that are lying on the floor of the bay today, and provide for the long term navigability of our harbor.
The Newport Beach City Council certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in May 2021 and directed staff to proceed with securing permits for the project. The EIR is posted on the City’s website here.
The Newport Harbor Foundation has learned that there are a few in the community that are spreading spurious misinformation about the project and the Newport Harbor Foundation believes that it is important that presenting those interested in the dredging project be provided with the facts.
Chairman Murray and Members of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board:
My name is Dennis Durgan and I serve as Chairman of the Newport Harbor Foundation. The Foundation was founded in 2019 for the purpose of preserving, protecting and enhancing Newport Harbor for the benefit of the City of Newport Beach, the homeowners on or near the bay, the commercial operators in the bay, and the recreational users of the bay. The Foundation’s founders, contributors, and members are made up of individuals and business who have a long history of using and enjoying the harbor and a vested interest in its enhancement and preservation for use by current and future generations. On behalf the Foundation and its Board of Directors, I am reaching out to you to express our support for the currently pending project for dredging of Newport Harbor and construction of the confined aquatic disposal (CAD) site.
Hello friends of the Newport Harbor Foundation,
There is an urgent issue we need a little help with… something that impacts one of our favorite local playgrounds – the Newport Harbor.
After years of lobbying the federal government for help, the City of Newport Beach has obtained grants of almost $16 million to pay for dredging of the harbor which will significantly enhance the quality of water and create safer boat passage in the harbor. Along with the dredging process, there is a process called CAD (contained aquatic disposal) which places unsuitable material now existing in the harbor into a safe and secure location deep below the harbor bed. This process is totally safe and has been used for many years all over the country, including harbors in California.
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