VENTURA : Decorated Flotilla Lights Up Harbor

Tom and Julie Rush of Ventura transformed their 40-foot harbor cruise boat, Bay Queen, into a covered wagon, stringing sheets and other material from stern to bow.

The effort paid off over the weekend, with the Bay Queen being honored for best decorations on a commercial vessel in the 18th annual Parade of Lights, which floated through Ventura Harbor late Saturday.

“It was a country-Western theme, so we were a covered wagon,” said Tom Rush, who has won the award so many years in a row he can’t keep track.

“It’s been five or six years running,” said Rush, 55. “We always go all out every year to decorate. It’s a lot of hard work and a lot of imagination.”

Thirty vessels--from sailing ships to pedal boats--entered the holiday event. The floating parade drew thousands of spectators, with Ventura police reporting no problems except some irate visitors who had to park a long way from the event.

Parade of Lights organizers offered first-place awards in several categories.

Winners included the National Park Service, which won the grand sweepstakes with the Surf Ranger; Diane Shankwiler and Doug Farrell, who won best sailboat under 30 feet with the vessel Too Much Fun; Gary Olson, who won best powerboat under 25 feet with the Aluminum Pie; Robert Seward, who took top prize among sailboats longer than 31 feet with the Robin Marie, and James and Tamara Muro, whose Carpe Diem won best powerboat over 26 feet.

Other winners were Chris Jensen, whose Passe Partout took the best nonprofit award; Denny Clayton, best overall pedal boat; Evan Clayton, who won best lights among pedal boats, and Nancy Nazario, who was honored for best theme among pedal boats.