Between walk-ins and RVers, Newport Dunes welcomes nearly 8,700 to Fourth of July celebration

With the nonstop boom of illicit firecrackers exploding throughout the day and night on July 4 in and around Newport Beach, the Newport Dunes Waterfront Celebration seemed like a safe and sane place to be on the holiday.

Under sunny skies the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina kicked off its annual Independence Day on the Back Bay event, which included food trucks, live music, water sports, games and a fireworks extravaganza.

A professional fireworks extravaganza was the highlight of the Newport Dunes Independence Day celebration Tuesday.

(Susan Hoffman)

The gates opened at 8 a.m. to 8,685 guests, according to Phil Ravenna, general manager of Newport Dunes Resort & Marina. About 5,420 came in from the general public toting their beach paraphernalia in, with the balance arriving via recreational vehicles and the Marina. About 95% of the Dunes’ parking spaces were sold, Ravenna noted.

Kesha Griffin and Larissa Reverditto along with their kids, said they arrived from Anaheim at 8 a.m. when the Dunes opened Tuesday to ensure that they would find parking for the day-long event that included staying for the fireworks show after dark.

“All the families are having a good time,” Griffin said. “There’s good energy and good food with all the food trucks.”

Mike Nguyen tosses a bean bag in a game of cornhole with Diana Pham during the Independence Day celebration held at the Newport Dunes Tuesday.

(Susan Hoffman)

Visitor Mike Nguyen was playing cornhole with bean bags on the beach with Diana Pham. “We just arrived at 3 p.m. and are staying until fireworks are over,” Nguyen said.

Three friends from Riverside, Jacqueline Ortiz, Jessica Hastings and Corrine Santos Rivera came to celebrate the Fourth with family and friends for the second year in a row, and they arrived with the dawn.

Corrine Santos Rivera, left, Jacqueline Ortiz and Jessica Hastings strike a pose for a selfie at Newport Dunes on the Fourth of July.

(Susan Hoffman)

“We arrived at 5 a.m,” said Ortiz. “My family is from New York and we want to make this our tradition to come here every year. We went in the water inflatables that we rented for an hour, ate at the food trucks, drank at the bar, and listened to the DJ and the band.”

The Dreamboats 1960s rock ‘n’ roll band drew a dance crowd Tuesday during Independence Day event at the Newport Dunes.

(Susan Hoffman)

At 5 p.m., the Dreamboats took the stage which brought out dancers of all ages moving and grooving to tunes made famous by the Everly Brothers and Elvis.