The parade was set to open with fireworks Wednesday night to celebrate its 100th anniversary, but the National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory Wednesday. The parade’s sponsor, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Harbor Patrol decided to cancel the opening night.
The parade is slated to return at 6:30 tonight and will conclude as planned Sunday.
The fireworks planned for Wednesday night were also canceled. Chamber officials are working with the city to hold the fireworks display Sunday night instead to cap off the festivities.
It’s not unprecedented for inclement weather to halt the parade, but chamber officials couldn’t remember the last time a storm led to a cancellation.
“It’s the first time in a number of years, but we have canceled it before two or three times during my 25 years here at the chamber,” said Richard Luehrs, the chamber’s president and chief executive.
“It’s unfortunate as this is the first night of our 100th anniversary. We had big plans for fireworks and so forth,” Luehrs said. “But we’ve got some great-looking forecasts for the rest of the week.”
Luehrs was confident the chamber could get permits to have the fireworks display Sunday.
City officials “have been so cooperative and supportive over the years, and although the chamber is the lead on this it really represents the entire community,” Luehrs said.
Many parade goers at the Balboa Fun Zone on Wednesday night got the news the event was canceled less than an hour before the parade’s scheduled 6:30 p.m. start time. A handful of soaked spectators clutching umbrellas were still milling around the area at 6 p.m.
