NBHS LOG August Edition

NBHS LOG August Edition by Jill Thrasher, Archivist

Louise in Newport Harbor, 1921. Courtesy of the Sherman Library and Sawyer (Wilbur Cyrus) Photograph Collection.

When Balboa’s 1921 Boat Parade Lit Up the Harbor—and Set Records

More than a century ago, Newport Harbor shimmered with lights, decorated boats, and an unforgettable crowd. On August 19, 1921, the Los Angeles Times reported that the 10th annual “Illuminated Boat Parade” was the most successful in the event’s history. Billed as a “water carnival,” the celebration began at the Balboa Pavilion and ended at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, drawing more than 30 floats, yachts, motorboats, rowboats, and canoes. Balboa, Balboa Island, Newport Beach, and several inland cities joined the festivities, each hoping to capture trophies and prizes for their decorated entries. The anniversary event brought what the paper called the “largest night crowd ever assembled at this popular resort.” Chaired by Joseph Allen Beek, founder of the Balboa Island Ferry, the evening ended with awards for floats, yachts, motorboats, and rowboats. Today, the Newport Beach Historical Society is fortunate to preserve an image of a first-place float winner: the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.

Photos courtesy of the Sherman Library.