The parade ran through the harbor without incident, officials said, though a permit was required
Hundreds of boaters sailed end to end through Newport Harbor for two hours on Memorial Day despite a warning from city officials on Friday, May 22, that an event of that scope would need a city permit.
“The city is considering its responses to the event organizer,” John Pope, spokesman for the city, said.
The Trumptilla Memorial Day parade drew boaters from across Southern California, and was advertised locally with a flyer. News spread quickly about the event on local social media platforms.
City officials first heard the event was a local gathering among friends. As interest spread across social media, the numbers of boaters grew.
“It was not a city-sanctioned event,” Pope said, adding that the city put out a notice that such an event would need to be permitted should it take place.
“It presented safety concerns on a busy harbor day,” he said.
