What to Know
- 2022 Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights
- Free to see from several spots around the city; boat rides are additional, and many local restaurants with harbor views require reservations
- The parade sails nightly from Dec. 14 through 18, while holiday cruises will give light-seekers a splashy trip around the harbor from Dec. 19 through 31
Detecting a dazzling note is always pretty easy around Newport Beach. After all, the stylish community is the well-known home to a lauded film festival, a number of notable food and wine events, and a veritable bouquet of other gracious goings-on.
But when the middle of December dawns, the dazzle factor goes through the proverbial roof, or, should we say, takes a pretty plunge.
For that's when the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights begins its fabulous five-night run, delighting on-shore onlookers, people dining at area restaurants, and aquatically minded admirers who've booked passage on a boat.
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This is, after all, one of the planet's most extravagantly imagined and eye-wowing examples of how to stage a maximalist Christmas boat parade. And the event is celebrating its 114th anniversary in 2022, meaning organizers know how to truly put on a grand and glittery show.
Exhibit A? You can check out the incredibly detailed Parade Schedule on the official website. The rundown will tell you just when and where to expect the lighted boats, from the Tip of Lido Isle (6:30 p.m. is the time to remember) to Peninsula Point Beach about an hour later.
And what are these dressy vessels draped in for the over-the-top occasion?
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Well, "everything and beyond" seems to be a pretty solid answer when it comes to this famous procession. Thousands of saturated lights, oversized Christmas trees, marvelous menorahs, prancing reindeer, unmeltable snowmen, caboodles of wrapped packages, and just about any and every twinkly touchstone of the season.
"More is more" when it comes to this multi-night extravaganza, but so is closely adhering to a style and theme. Look for the beautiful boats that people are ballyhooing about to have a very clear throughline and story, even among the countless strings of bulbs, shiny snowflakes, and stacked-high gingerbread houses.
And when the final night, which is Dec. 18 in 2022, concludes?
The popular Holiday Cruises resume, giving guests a chance to admire the opulent abodes near the harbor as they celebrate the season with a flair that is often quite fancy. Like really fancy, and pretty darn fanciful, too, which can make for a kicky combo during the Christmas season.
Those rides begin again on Dec. 19 and last through the remainder of the month; here's where you can book your spot, should you want to join the special must-do and close out the year in celebratory Newport Beach fashion.
