The harbor column -- Terrance Phillips

‘Tis the season for Newport Harbor’s “Ho, Ho, Ho on the H20!”

Did you know that the origin of what is now known as the Newport

Harbor Christmas Boat Parade occurred on July 4, 1908?

John Scarpa, an obscure Italian gondolier, and Joseph Beek, developer

of Beacon Bay and the Balboa Island Ferry, established what was then

called the Tournament of Lights.

The inaugural event, held on the Fourth of July, consisted of nine

entries. By 1913, the parade was called the Illuminated Water Parade and

prizes were awarded for best-decorated and best-lighted vessels.

Scarpa is credited with hanging Japanese lanterns from his gondola and

encouraged other boat and canoe owners to do the same.

The annual event grew over the next two or three years, as did

spectator interest. World War I interrupted the festivities for the next

five years and it was not until 1919 that Beek, who at the time was

operating Balboa ferryboats, came to rescue the lighted boat parade.

Most of the early participants were children, who decorated floats

that were towed around the harbor. Several of the floats were constructed

in Beek’s garage and were patterned after those in Pasadena’s Tournament

of Roses Parade.

The parade was held every summer from 1919 until 1949, when the city

fathers decided it was drawing too many visitors to the harbor and

creating heavy crowding and traffic congestion.

Fortunately, in 1946, Newport Beach city employees outfitted a barge

with a lighted Christmas tree during the holiday season. The barge was

towed around the harbor while its passengers sang Christmas carols to

residents on shore.

A few years later, it was the Beek family to the rescue, providing one

of its ferryboats for the floating Christmas tree.

Each year, more and more boats were decorated with lights, and the

Tournament of Lights soon became a traditional Christmas celebration.

The event has grown to more than 150 entries. There are now 14 award

categories, including sweepstakes, best music, Christmas theme, humor,

use of lights, sail and powerboat. There are awards for vessels under 30

feet, best new entry, charter boat, first-time entry and Chairman’s

Choice.

The New York Times hails the event as one of the nation’s top 10

holiday happenings.

This year’s Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade, which will begin at

6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 to 23, will mark the event’s 92nd year and now draws

more than one million spectators.

There is still time to enter your boat in this wonderful event. For

more information on entering or attending the parade, call the Newport

Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce at (949) 729-4400.

* TERRANCE PHILLIPS is the Daily Pilot’s boating writer. He may be

reached by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .f7