Night skies will light again

June Casagrande and Jenny Marder

Along the beaches, there are two spots to seek out, without a doubt,

this Fourth of July: the Newport Dunes, which is bringing back its

fireworks show, and anywhere along Huntington Beach’s Independence

Day Parade route.

Plus, there will be plenty of parties, races and revelry to keep

people of all ages entertained as they celebrate America’s birthday.

In Newport Beach, the oohs and aahs are back. After a year without

fireworks at the Newport Dunes, the beloved Independence Day

tradition is back.

The Dunes fireworks show is likely to be the biggest hit of the

holiday, with the annual Fourth of July Boat Parade and West Newport

street parties also offering lots of fun ways to celebrate.

The Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort last year put the brakes on

its traditional fireworks display because the liability costs had

gotten too high. Boat owners were filing claims for new canvas boat

covers after more and more of them were burned by hot embers falling

from the pyrotechnics display. But the city, determined to bring back

the popular event, stepped in to help the new Dunes owners find a way

to make the show feasible.

The result will be visible for miles. Presenters promise a superb

show that’s just part of a daylong lineup of activities at the Dunes.

“We’re very excited about continuing this tradition,” Newport

Dunes General Manager Andrew Theodorou said.

Fourth of July events at the Dunes will begin at 10 a.m. with a

water balloon toss, and continue for about 12 hours with live music,

a family volleyball tournament, carnival games, a bike and in-line

skate parade and other activities for kids and adults. The fireworks

show will begin at 9 p.m.

“We want to make up for last year,” said Mayor Steve Bromberg, who

led the fight to bring fireworks back this year. “I don’t have the

specifics yet, but it’s going to be a really spectacular fireworks

show.”

The harbor will put on its own kind of show beginning at 1 p.m.

with the ever-popular Fourth of July Boat Parade. An institution in

the harbor since the mid-1950s, the parade usually has about 100

boats piloted by private owners showing off their patriotic pride.

Red, white and blue rule the day as participants compete for prizes

in several dozen categories, including best-decorated kayak,

best-decorated dinghy and a category for children 12 and younger.

This year, inspired by the Christmas Boat Parade’s Circle of Lights,

the parade will include a contest for the best-decorated home on the

parade route.

“It’s just great,” said Gay Wassall-Kelly, a peninsula resident

who helps promote the event and who, with her husband, Bill, is a

longtime participant. “Usually about 75 people register, which is

free, but it gives you the chance to win prizes, but then a whole

bunch of other boats jump in.”

Some great spectator spots for viewing the parade are at the

Balboa Fun Zone and from Balboa Island facing the peninsula,

especially between Marine and Agate avenues.

West Newport will be the place to watch this year. The area is

famous for its well-attended and sometimes wild street parties. But

this year, the city has stepped up its efforts to curb wildness. An

ordinance that would limit liquor storage, sales and delivery on the

holiday have gotten a lot of ink.

“This is going to be a very significant year in West Newport,”

Mayor Steve Bromberg said. “We’re going to be looking very closely to

see how everything comes off and whether or not there’s a change in

circumstances regarding the conduct of the crowd. If there’s a change

in circumstances, we can turn on a dime. We’re very open to modifying

what we want to do. If we don’t need this ordinance, we’ll look at

that. If it needs to be stronger, we’ll look at that, too.”

For more information about events at the Newport Dunes, visit

www.NewportDunes.com or call (949) 729-3863. To register to

participate in the boat parade, or for more information, call the

American Legion at (949) 673-5070.

SURF CITY INDEPENDENCE

Every year, people travel west from all corners of the county to

revel at Surf City’s annual parade, the oldest Independence Day

Parade on this side of the Mississippi.

Colorful floats, marching bands, clowns, dancers and local

politicians are, as always, the stuff of the parade, which will

celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

This year, Orange County service members returning from the War in

Iraq will lead the procession as it snakes from 8th Street and

Pacific Coast Highway, southbound to Main Street, through Downtown,

to finish at Main Street and Yorktown Avenue.

Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney has been chosen to serve as Grand

Marshal for the year, a coveted title that has been awarded in the

past to such bigwigs as former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt,

actor Robert Wagner and actress Natalie Wood.

“He and his wife are very patriotic people,” said Mary Ellen

Cianciabella, the parade’s coordinator. “He’s a great humanitarian,

and people respond to him and respect him.”

Other major players in the parade will be baseball Hall of Famer

Reggie Jackson and Huntington’s Assemblyman Tom Harman. Tony Tovatt,

a 78-year Huntington Beach resident, will be this year’s Community

Grand Marshall.

Money aised through this year’s event will be given to the Friends

of the Junior Lifeguards.

“They’re so good to us,” said Pat Stier, chair of the Fourth of

July commission. “They give us so much support.”

The parade boasts an average annual attendance of about 250,000.

It is organized by an executive board of seven members and countless

volunteers.

“There are over a hundred volunteers,” Cianciabella said. “Because

of all those people that you need, all those unsung heroes, it takes

an awful lot of people to make this happen.”

The two-hour parade will have 250 to 300 entries this year,

including floats, out of state marching bands, drum and bugle corps,

veteran groups, local organizations, flag girls and horses.

“We’re pretty much at our limit right now,” Stier said.

The committee decided to cut back the number of entries this year

to condense the parade’s length, which Stier said was getting a bit

too long. Last year, there were more than 300 entries.

Surf City’s first Fourth of July Parade was held in 1904 and drew

more than 50,000 people, quite a feat for a city of 3,500. In its

infant years, the event featured greased pig contests, horse races,

vaudeville shows, fortune tellers, wrestling matches and bathing

beauty contests.

The parade has swelled over the years and has seen other changes,

but it remains a family affair.

“The biggest change is how fast it grew,” said Cianiabella, a

28-year resident who has been attending the parade for 35 years

without fail. “Everybody was there with their babies and strollers.

Over the years, it’s grown into a wonderful family event.”

There’s more to the day than just the parade. Independence Day

will actually begin at sunrise with runners warming up and stretching

for the annual Surf City 5K run/walk. From 6 to 10 a.m., an annual

pancake breakfast, organized by the Kiwanis Club, will be held at

Lake Park. Lake Park is at Lake and 11th streets. The cost is $5.

The parade will run from 10 a.m. to noon.

“We draw a small crowd, about 250,000,” Cianciabella joked.

For more information, call (714) 374-1535.