HUNTINGTON BEACH : 25,000 Expected for 31st Cruise of Lights

More than 25,000 people are expected to buy tickets and take part in this year’s 31st annual Cruise of Lights boat ride tours through the waterways of Huntington Harbour.

The event will run from Dec. 14 to 22. This year’s theme is “Magic of Childhood.”

The Cruise of Lights, in which visitors pay for narrated boat rides to view waterfront homes decorated for the holiday season, is a major fund-raising event of the Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee.

The money raised through ticket sales goes to fund free music education programs for more than 300,000 school children in Orange County.

In addition, part of the proceeds goes directly to local schools to help pay for such things as music instructors, new band instruments and instrument repairs.

Tickets are now on sale and can be ordered by telephone, (714) 840-7542, or by mail, Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee Office, 16897 Algonquin St., Suite I, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92649.

Tickets for adults are $8.50 for cruises Monday through Thursday and $9.50 for cruises Friday through Sunday. Children’s tickets are $5. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Boat rides are scheduled to start each evening at about 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30.

The Huntington Harbour Philharmonic will also sponsor a boat cruise on Dec. 11 and 12 to kick off the Cruise of Lights. The Long Beach Little League world champion baseball team is expected to be on one of the 60 boats.