63rd Annual Small Craft Race Set for Sunday

For the 63rd year in a row, families, couples and children will pilot a swarm of tiny boats around Newport Harbor during this weekend’s Flight of the Lasers.

The 1 1/2-hour race will send the craft from the Pavilion around Lido Isle and through the rest of the bay, said Newport Harbor Yacht Club waterfront director Mette Segerblom. About 80 entries are expected.

“It’s a fun event and a lot of people come back year after year,” she said.

When the event began in 1935, it was known as the Flight of the Snow Birds. The name was changed when the 14-foot Lasers became more popular than the older boats, organizers said.

The top 10 finishers will get trophies, as will the first girl and boy to finish, the youngest and oldest competitors, the first married couple, the best costume and the best decorated boat, among other categories. The race begins at 1 p.m. Sunday. Boaters must register by noon that day, and entry is free.Information: (949) 673-7730.