Brightly colored lights and Christmas decorations will ply the waters of Huntington Harbour once again – and this holiday season it’s for the 50th time.
“Golden Memories – 50 Years Of Music” is the theme of this year’s Huntington Harbour Philharmonic’s annual “Cruise of Lights fundraiser to provide money for music education in Orange County schools.
The Huntington Harbour Boat Parade is an annual feast for the eyes as the spectacle may be viewed from various public vantage points.
It will precede the “Cruise” on Dec. 8 and 9. While dozens of boats will “parade” Huntington Harbour’s waterways, those on board and spectators from the outside will be able to view many of the homes, finely-decorated in holiday style all along the parade route.
Families, couples and friends will stake out spots along the route, cuddle up and sip cider and enjoy the eye candy that that will be displayed before them as thousands of lights and sights of the season are displayed.
Many of the homes are decorated according to an era or decade in our history, making the event a cultural one as well as a venue for family fun.
“Some of the brightly lit displays feature animation,” said long time Huntington Harbour resident and Philharmonic volunteer Eva Kilgore.
Following the boat parade, from Dec. 15 through 23, Huntington Harbour’s waterways come alive with the “Cruise of Lights.”
“It’s a 45 minute narrated tour where guests come from as far away as China,” Kilgore said. “Guests see all the lights reflecting off the water, and lights, animation and decorations on homes. Meanwhile, funds raised go to support the music programs for over 200,000 school children from kindergarten through 12th-grade.”
With its nostalgic theme this year, the Philharmonic’s Boat Parade and Cruise of Lights Committee has chosen to bring the same spirit to its choice of the events’ grand marshal this year. Instead of one grand marshal, the events are celebrating the past grand marshals by making them all the grand marshal for the 2012 Boat Parade and Cruise of Lights.
More boat parade information is available at www.hhboatparade.org.
Cruise of Lights tour times are 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. Info: www.cruiseoflights.com or call (714) 840-7542.
