O.C. holiday boat parades begin this weekend

HUNTINGTON  BEACH – Orange County's harbors will be set aglow this weekend as two communities host their annual holiday boat parades.

Huntington Harbour and Dana Point will feature a steady flow of lighted boats on the water – some with simple and classic décor and others with extravagant holiday scenes played out on their decks.

Newport Beach's boat parade will be next week.

These events draw millions every year. Some visitors find points along the harbors to bundle up and watch the parade, and the night often serves as an ideal time for those who live on the water to throw a holiday gathering.

Huntington Harbour's parade will be Saturday and Sunday; and Dana Point will have its event for the next two weekends. Newport Beach, which features the oldest of all the boat parades, will run Dec. 14-18.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive an hour or two early for all the parades because they are expected to be packed.

Huntington Harbour

Despite chilly temperatures that usually accompany a boat parade evening, those at the Huntington Harbour event may be reminded of warm breezes and summer vacation as they watch this year's 49th annual parade, "Island Serenade".

Jenny Huntsinger, the parade's first female Grand Marshal, reminds participants and onlookers that an "island" theme isn't limited to destinations with crystal blue water and swaying palm trees.

Manhattan is an island. So is Ireland. And don't forget make-believe places like Neverland or Fantasy Island.

The possibilities are vast, which should make for a creative and eclectic boat parade.

The Huntington Harbour Boat Parade donates some of its proceeds to the Philharmonic Society of Orange County to provide music programs to children in the county.

The parade will start at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Information: hbboatparade.org.

Dana Point

The 37th annual Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights, "Santa Salutes the 70s," will feature about 100 boaters competing in the categories of style, intricacy and outlandishness.

Past years' entries have featured towering light displays and inflatable snowmen riding motorcycles and planes. In 2008, one boater even outfitted his craft with rotating wooden attachments that gave the appearance of dolphins swimming alongside.

Residents Daphne and Joseph Martino said they have spent more than two months and $2,000 on their design for their boat, Living Legend.

Their design has taken more than 200 hours to execute. A giant Rainbow sandal is featured prominently in their display because Rainbow Sandals was founded locally in 1974, and a half-pipe that Santa Claus will sit on honors the sport of skateboarding. .

The Dana Point Harbor Parade of Lights will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Dec. 16 and 17. The Ocean Institute will host a viewing party with refreshments and holiday-themed crafts from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 3-12 and $25 for a family four-pack.

Information: danawharf.com, danapointharbor.com

Newport Beach

The century-old tradition gets a futuristic twist this year, as the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Harbor will feature a man flying a water-spouting jet-pack called a Jetlev.

"They're going to try to light him up somehow, I'm not sure how," said Richard Luehrs, president of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. "You can't use a spotlight, he moves too fast."

The Christmas Boat Parade is one of the oldest and most popular holiday traditions in southern California and even the nation. In fact, Yahoo Travel just named it the second best display of holiday lights in the country, trailing only Rockefeller Center.

In 1908, a gondola and eight canoes decked out in Japanese lanterns started the tradition, which has grown into a spectacle expected to draw more than a million viewers over its five nights this year.

The parade gets going at 6:30 p.m. with boats leaving from Bay Island, making their way around the harbor, and returning at 9 p.m.

In all there are just under registered 100 boats taking part in the contests, plus another 100 or so along for the ride, Luehrs said.

Information: christmasboatparade.com.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com