NEWPORT BEACH : Residents’ Support Saves Boat Parade

A plan to cancel the 31-year tradition of dressing up boats to depict everything from famed heroes to current events and parading them around Newport Harbor has been rescinded after an outpouring of public support in favor of the annual event.

The Commodores, a group within the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce that sponsors the Character Boat Parade, tentatively agreed to continue the tradition after residents overwhelmingly supported saving the parade.

“We got so much good publicity on it that we decided we won’t kill the parade, as we were inclined to do,” said Commodores leader Bill Hamilton.

Last month, the group had considered canceling the longtime tradition after calculating that the summer’s spectator turnout was one of the lowest ever. At its height in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the parade drew up to 200,000 viewers, often including local celebrities such as John Wayne.

After the dismal turnout, the group decided to conduct an informal poll asking residents for their opinions on the event.

A full tally of responses has not been completed, but Hamilton said the input thus far overwhelmingly shows the community wants the parade.

“There weren’t any negatives,” Hamilton said.

The Commodores are considering establishing July 4 as the regular date of the parade, and will vote on that idea when they take a formal position on the fate of the parade later this month.