‘Jurassic Park’ Joins Holiday Parade

Holiday parades are usually associated more with reindeer than reptiles, but the throng expected at tonight’s Belmont Shore Christmas Parade in Long Beach will see themes from “Jurassic Park” as well as deer from the North Pole.

With Universal Studios coming to town as a major sponsor, this year’s event is expected to attract 65,000 people and will include entries ranging from the Long Beach Junior Concert Band to more than 100 floats and a monster truck that breathes fire.

The parade begins at 5 p.m. on 2nd Street at Livingston Drive.

Next Saturday, Long Beach’s holiday parade tradition will become a literal float as 80 boats navigate the waters in the Naples Boat Parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 in Alamitos Bay near the Appian Way Bridge.