Puppies, pirates among Balboa Island Parade participants

A band of pirates invaded Balboa Island over the weekend.

So did gangs of puppies, Indian princesses and baton twirlers. All were among the 114 entries and more than 1,000 participants in the 21st annual Balboa Island Parade. About 3,000 spectators lined Marine Way to share the sunshine and smiles.

The event — which falls each year on the first Sunday in June — marks the unofficial start of summer on the quarter-square-mile slice of charm nestled on the Newport Harbor.

“I love it,” gushed longtime resident Kaysee Ferguson, who watched with friends from her prime spot at Bayside Drive and Marine Way. “I try to get everybody down here as early as possible to get involved in this whole thing. It’s just incredible.”

For Ferguson and her friends, involvement means more than cheering from the sidewalk. At the tail end of the parade, she and a couple dozen cronies all picked up their plastic seats and closed the show as the well-choreographed and crowd-pleasing Patio Chair Drill Team.

“You gotta love this local stuff. It’s great,” said Norman White, 62, sitting curbside with his girlfriend, Frankie Marvel. The couple live on a boat in the harbor and could be described as captive spectators.

“Basically we’re trapped on the island. You can’t go anywhere anyway, so you might as well join the fun,” White said with a chuckle.

This year’s theme was “Star Spangled Island.” From hula dancers to antique autos, veterans in vintage military vehicles to elementary school bands and oldsters playing classic rock, the parade offered a wide spectrum of attractions.

The biggest was a 30-foot-tall bald eagle balloon with a 28-foot wingspan. The oldest, at 93, was retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ted Tanner. The World War II veteran from Costa Mesa carved his place in the Greatest Generation by flying missions in the South Pacific.

Tanner said he appreciates any opportunity “to keep the idea of freedom, and what freedom means, as part of what I’m trying to do for my generation.”

The fictional Capt. Jack Sparrow, appearing typically tipsy, was conspicuous among the dozen or so pirates regaled in colorful 18th century buccaneer costumes. Instead of pillaging the island, the rough-looking raiders passed out candy to children.

The crew fronted a scaled-down replica of the Pilgrim of Newport in honor of ship builder Dennis Holland. The Newport Beach nautical icon died last month at the age of 68.

“My dad was a really important person to me and a lot of others,” said 28-year old Dennis Holland Jr., who quickly assembled the honorary float over the past two weeks. His mother sewed the sails.

“Building this replica of the Pilgrim was just to remember him and show everybody what he’s all about.”

Offered Jamaica Rose, the pirate-wench alter-ego of Holland family friend Christine Lampe: “We’re here as a bunch of pirates honoring him and honoring his talents as a dedication to the maritime skills, trying to keep these nautical talents and knowledge alive.”

With a horde of pirates so well behaved, Newport Beach Police Chief Jay Johnson was able to relax and enjoy his ride along the parade route in the backseat of a classic 1971 red Mustang convertible.

“Our only issue with this is all the traffic, just the amount of people on the island,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep the island from sinking with so many people on it.”

Organizer Mary Pat Earl said this could be the largest crowd and “one of the best parades in 21 years.”