Visit Newport Beach Wins 'Extraordinaire Award' at the 2024 Rose Parade® with Record-Setting 165-Foot-Long Entry

'Jingle on the Waves' Earns Prestigious Award Celebrating Unity, Joy, and a Historic 18-Year Comeback

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Visit Newport Beach is elated to announce the prestigious achievement of winning the coveted Extraordinaire Award at the 135^th Rose Parade® in Pasadena, California, held on January 1, 2024. The triumphant return of Newport Beach to this globally renowned event after an 18-year hiatus has been marked by the record-breaking float entry, 'Jingle on the Waves,' which not only stood out as the longest float in the parade but has now been recognized with the Extraordinaire Award. The float featured an array of 57,211 floral elements including mums, statice, strawflower, lentils, iris, carnations, seaweed, and various other creative touches representing the Newport Beach spirit.

On New Year's Day, 'Jingle on the Waves' captivated 700,000 spectators in attendance as well as millions of viewers nationwide and around the world with its unique concept—a heartfelt tribute to the beloved Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, creating a parade within a parade, with five distinct boats. On the first section, a decorated boat adorned with a pink flamingo, a festive polar bear, lights, toys, and gifts were accompanied by an oversized group of trees, all meticulously trimmed. The second section featured Newport Beach's Balboa Pavilion fully decked to the nines and a lighthouse from the community's Marina Park. The third boat was a special Rose Parade Queen tribute which included four former Tournament of Roses® Rose Queens® who currently reside in Newport Beach. The fourth section featured the iconic Fun Zone Ferris Wheel illuminated with celebratory rockets, while the fifth section showcased a snowman wearing a top hat, extending warm wishes for a Happy New Year to everyone!

"Our winning float, 'Jingle on the Waves,' not only reflects the vibrant spirit of Newport Beach but also harmonizes with the universal language of music celebrated in the 2024 Rose Parade®," says Gary Sherwin, President & CEO of Visit Newport Beach. "Winning the Extraordinaire Award is a testament to the dedication of the Phoenix Decorating team and an incredible honor for our community, and it marks the resounding success of Newport Beach's grand return to the global stage. We are so grateful to the countless volunteers who spent more than 10,000 hours decorating our float and bringing our vision to life."

The historic ties between Newport Beach and the Rose Parade presented by Honda, run deep. For many years, parade officials would bring Rose Queen® candidates to Newport Beach's Balboa Bay Club to assess their poise and grace in interacting with people. The Rose Parade has also served as a source of inspiration for Newport Beach's own Christmas Boat Parade. In fact, for many years, the Newport Beach holiday celebration didn't have a Grand Marshal. Seeking inspiration, they looked to Pasadena, and as a result, they added this symbolic leader to their parade. Visit Newport Beach is looking forward to continuing this partnership with the Rose Parade is eagerly awaits the years to come!

ABOUT NEWPORT BEACH & COMPANY/VISIT NEWPORT BEACH:

Founded in January 2013, Newport Beach & Company is a non-profit organization established to serve as the official marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. The agency brings together all of the marketing entities connected to the Newport Beach brand and is designed to oversee separate business units that include Visit Newport Beach, Celebrate Newport Beach, Enterprise Newport Beach and Newport Beach TV. For more information, please go to www.VisitNewportBeach.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Johns
Communications Manager, Visit Newport Beach
[email protected]
(949) 706-5309

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SOURCE Visit Newport Beach