OCEAN BEACH – It’s guaranteed to be an intergalactic experience.
The 46th annual Ocean Beach Holiday Parade will kick off on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 5:05 p.m., running along Newport Avenue. This year’s theme, Galactic Holiday Beach Bash, will be all things aliens, spaceships, and cosmic holiday fun, boasting 106 floats.
Hosted by the OB Community Foundation and in partnership with Love Thy Neighborhood, this year’s is set to be one of the biggest yet.
The OB Community Foundation, a nonprofit focused on bettering the lives of those living in and visiting Ocean Beach since 2000, hosts several events annually geared toward deepening local community connections. The parade, however, is one of their biggest and best known events.
“This parade is our bread and butter. We have a whole committee of volunteers working with the city to get permits and put this on,” said Angelo Devlin, president of OB Community Foundation.
“Our nonprofit raises funds the whole year to host this; in addition to fundraising for our Christmas tree in the sand, which will go up on Dec. 2.”
The crew is entirely led by volunteers who enjoy carrying on the tradition.
Right before the parade starts on Dec. 6, there will be a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The tree will remain up until Jan. 2.
Tradition-wise, the parade dates back 46 years. What began as a small gathering has since grown into a community-centered day with involvement from local businesses, residents, and visitors alike.
“The first parade started with the Christmas tree in the sand,” said Devlin.
“The parade and tree are heavily tied together. In the 1980s, the James brothers, who were the leaders of James Gang Printing, were inspired by the Rockefeller Christmas tree and wanted to do one here. They drove to the mountains, cut one down, and put the tree up.
“They stopped at every local bar on Newport, handing out kazoos, and the parade began as bar participants walked down toward the Christmas tree, blowing their kazoos,” Devlin added. “We are stoked to be carrying on the tradition.”
Mike James, one of the original James brothers, will be emceeing the event alongside several other community figures.
With an “any float counts” policy, onlookers can expect to see floats in all shapes and sizes.
Participants include local bands, business owners, families, and residents participating with anything from golf carts to walkers and trucks to dancers on display. With judges on deck, there is a contest element as well, with seven spots open to win.
Outside of the parade, most businesses will be participating in pre- and post-parade parties.
“OB Tire usually has live music in their parking lot, along with several others. Almost anywhere you go, there will be food and drinks accessible,” said Devlin.
Volunteer spots are still open. The OB Community Foundation invites those interested to help with set-up, float staging, and crowd support during and leading up to the parade.
The parade will begin at Newport Avenue and Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. More information on the OB Community Foundation can be found here.
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