Balboa Island patriotism on parade

Lindsay Sandham

Anyone on Balboa Island Sunday might have thought it was the Fourth

of July, with the first three blocks of Marine Avenue festooned in

hundreds of red, white and blue balloons and American flags.

Although the nation’s holiday is still a few weeks away, Balboa

Island celebrates patriotism every year with an additional event --

its Civic Day Parade, during which flag-waving spectators line the

streetssnacking on frozen chocolate-covered bananas, one of the many

specialties of the island. The tradition -- a 2 and 1/2-block

procession of antique cars, decorated golf carts, kids on bicycles

and dogs in disguise marching down Marine Avenue -- began in 1994

with the dedication of the new fire station. Each year, the parade

gets bigger, with more and more nonresidents participating. This

year’s theme was “Support the Troops.”

“It’s just a great community to come out and be a part of,” said

Bill Herrmann of Costa Mesa. “I just love coming down here.”

Herrmann built a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed wagon and pulled

his nephew and godson, who were both dressed as pirates, in the

parade.

“The parade gets bigger every year,” said Balboa Island resident

Karla Funk. “They have a little bit of everything. Everybody looks

forward to it every year, it’s like an early Fourth of July parade.”

Sunday’s festivities began with all the children riding their

bicycles, tricycles, skateboards and scooters along the stretch,

followed by residents with costumed pooches.

6-year-olds Will Gehl of Costa Mesa and Graham McGee of Balboa

Island decorated their Razor scooters in tricolor-of-the-day ribbons

and fastened small American flags to them.

“My favorite part is when we get to see the horses,” Will said,

referring to the four uniformed servicemen on horses.

Three-year-old Henry Hobin of Newport Beach liked cheering on

parade stragglers at the end of the procession. “It’s a pretty good

parade for three blocks,” said Balboa Island’s Dave O’Keefe. “This

year has been great.”

Antique cars carrying several Newport Beach City Council members,

Mayor Steve Bromberg and Sen. John Campbell also cruised the avenue.

The bands Girls Nite Out, the Nomads and the Surfaris made plenty of

noise riding and rocking on the backs of trucks as the crowd cheered

and danced.

Of course, there was a marching band, from Mater Dei High School,

which followed members of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum as they

passed out 500 “Support the Troops” yellow ribbon magnets.

“I think it’s better this year than it’s ever been,” said June

Jones of Balboa Island, who spent her 94th birthday at the parade

with friends and family.