Yes Virginia there will be a boat parade in 2020.
As the “pandemic” moves into flu season, the numbers are growing. Why is anyone surprised a version of the flu is flourishing in flu season? With sporting events at very limited capacity, and places like Disneyland closed, I was wondering about the boat parades. The beaches are too cold for most people so what do they do now for the holiday season?
The Huntington Harbour Boat Parade is put on every year. While many can’t see the boat parade it is an important event in Huntington Beach. The idea is to thank the homeowners that light up the harbor each Christmas season. There are theme’s and contests for both homeowners and boaters alike.
The Fundraising
The Huntington Harbour Philharmonic holds several fundraising events annually. The Boat Parade is a thank you to the homeowners that support the Cruise of Lights. Each year the Cruise of Lights takes place to raise funds for music programs in schools. The “Cruise of Lights” is by far the biggest fundraiser of the year. People flock from around the globe to get on a boat and see what the homes look like each year.
Several of the homes are owned by electrical contractors and one is rumored to be owned by a famous Hollywood lighting man. The homes are regularly updated so each year the cruise is different. For the past three years, my wife has been the official photographer and our friend Matt Liffreing doing a great job with the video for the live feeds.
I am told this year Matt has a plan to livestream the awards ceremony on Facebook since the Huntington Harbour Yacht club has been closed by Governor Newsom’s order.
This year there is no “Cruise of Lights”, but the homes are being decorated and the boat parade will go on according to the philharmonic member I spoke with. This Holiday Season will be very different than years past due to the government shutting down just about everything that brings us together this time of year.