Photos by Jim Collins and Lawrence Sherwin
The 117th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade officially kicked off on Dec. 17, transforming the harbor into a luminous “Christmas Across the Decades” spectacle. The event, a cornerstone of Southern California holiday tradition, began with a thunderous fireworks display launched from the Newport Pier.
Leading the procession was Grand Marshal and Newport Beach native Ted McGinley. The actor rode aboard the official Grand Marshal vessel, which featured an expansive LED light display.
As the parade moved toward Marina Park, dozens of vessels — ranging from multi-million-dollar yachts to small kayaks — showcased decorations and holiday spirit. This year’s theme encouraged participants to recreate holiday memories from various eras, resulting in floating tributes to 1950s diners and 1980s neon wonderlands.
The parade continued nightly through Sunday, Dec. 21.
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