By Donna Furey | LB Indy
The 49th Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade, scheduled to step off at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, will closely mirror what was planned in 2014 for the 48th parade, which was cancelled due to rain.
A definite bonus for this year’s parade goers are the free weekend trolleys that will begin operating at 9 a.m. They will run along Coast Highway, from Cajon Street in North Laguna to Mission Hospital in South Laguna. Residents and visitors can board the trolley to the parade rather than try to park downtown.
As was the case with the very first Patriot’s Day Parade, viewers will enjoy music by the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band from the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar.
Last year’s theme, “Home of the Free Because of the Brave,” will stand and as previously planned the parade will be led by grand marshal and Olympic gold medal swimmer and local resident Janet Evans.
The route starts on Park Avenue near Laguna Beach High School, turns right onto Glenneyre Street, right onto Forest Avenue and will end just past City Hall at Ocean Avenue.
The South Orange County Vietnam Veterans are still hoping to fill out their entry, No. 9 in the line-up, by inviting vets to march with them in uniform or ride if necessary in their convertible. They have participated every year since 1985.
Absent from the parade line up is the Laguna Beach Peace Vigil, whose members have held a Saturday morning rally at Main Beach for decades. Vigil supporters walked in the parade from 2004 through 2009, but have since stopped because the parade organizers banned any signs containing the word war. “We were told it was too controversial,” said local resident Eleanor Henry, a Peace Vigil member since the 1970s.
Werthe said none of the Vigil members have asked for an entry form for several years.
The slate of parade honorees also remains the same as in 2014 with the exception of the junior citizens of the year. Perry Nielson and Garrett Burk missed out on the fanfare since they graduated from Laguna Beach High School in June. This year’s junior citizens are Janie Crawford and Taylor Addis. Others honored are patriot Robert R. Mosier, a U.S. Army Air Force World War II pilot; citizen of the year, Wayne Baglin; artist of the year, Carol Reynolds; and athletes of the year, Alisa Schwarzstein Cairns and Ian Cairns.
The annual affair was last cancelled in 1985 due to an early morning downpour.
Rental fees for portable toilets and a deposit on the reviewing stand were not recouped. While trophies could be updated for 2015, the cost of printing the programs was also lost as they had already been printed and distributed to advertisers during parade week, said parade organizer Sandi Werthe.
To accommodate the parade route as well as pedestrian traffic in the area, portions of downtown streets will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 10 a.m. The entire length of Forest Avenue and Third Street, Glenneyre Street between Legion Street and Forest Avenue, and Park Avenue between St. Ann’s Drive and Glenneyre Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The farmer’s market will not be open.
The 49th Laguna Beach Patriot’s Day line up:
- Laguna Beach Police Motor Escort
- Parade Banner, Laguna Beach Boy Scouts
- American Legion/Veterans of Foreign Wars Combined Color Guard
- 3d Marine Aircraft Wing Band. Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar
- Parade Committee
- Theme Banner, Laguna Beach Girls Scouts
- Grand Marshal Janet Evans, Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer
- Pageant of the Masters
- South Orange County Vietnam Veterans
- Honored Patriot Robert R. Mosier, U.S. Army Air Force, World War II
- Hire Patriots/Veterans Green Projects
- Laguna Beach City Council
- Citizen of the Year Wayne Baglin
- Laguna Beach High School Marching Band
- Junior Citizens of the Year Janie Crawford and Taylor Addis
- Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education
- SchoolPower
- Thurston Middle School Band
- Athletes of the Year Alisha Schwarzstein Cairns and Ian Cairns
- Laguna Beach Water Polo Club
- Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association
- Artist of the Year Carol Reynolds
- Laguna Beach High Program Cover Artist Max Casper
and Thurston Essay Winner Colleen Turner
- Orange County Chapter, Sons of American Revolution
- Patience Wright Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution
- Laguna Beach Unified School District Elementary Band
- Exchange Club of Laguna Beach
- Assistance League of Laguna Beach
- Guide Dogs for the Blind VIP3 Puppy Raisers
- Laguna Beach Garden Club
30a. Excalibur Car Club
- Kyne Dance Academy of Laguna Beach
- I.P. District
- Laguna Beach Parents Club
- Lil’ Kickers
- Ruby’s Diner
- Ralphs Grocery
- Laguna Beach Seniors
- Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce
- Pet Rescue Center
- Laguna Beach Beautification Council
- Sawdust Art Festival
- Capistrano Valley Model A Club
- Palmdale High School Band
- Laguna Beach Little League
- Transition Laguna Beach
- Y Adventure Guides
- Laguna Beach Fire Department
- Laguna Beach Lifeguards
- Glennwood House of Laguna Beach
- KX 93.5
- Laguna Tunes
- Laguna Beach Girl Scouts
- Boy Scout Troop 35/Cub Scout Pack 35
- Bassett High School Band, La Puente
- Diamond/Crestview Neighbors
- Ebell Club of Laguna Beach
- Tivoli Terrace/Tivoli Too!
- StuNewsLaguna
- Barstow Junior High School Band
- Laguna Beach Police Department
- Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach
- La Playa Center & Orange County Model A Ford Club
- Pacific Marine Mammal Center
- Rialto Middle School Band
- Laguna Beach Independent/Laguna Beach Magazine
- Laguna Playhouse
- Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach
- Townsend Junior High Band, Chino Hills
- Waste Management
- South County Fiat
- JJ and the Habibis Laguna Beach Belly Dancers
- Laguna Board of Realtors
- Laguna College of Art and Design
- Laguna Plein Air Painters Association
- Honors Chorus of Top of the World/El Morro Elementary Schools
- Rotary Club of Laguna Beach
- United Studios of Self Defense
- Blue Water Music Festival
- Laguna Food Pantry
- Fountain Valley Marching Band
- Mission Hospital—Laguna Beach
- Doctors Ambulance Service
- Laguna Beach H.I.V. Advisory Committee
- Laguna Beach Community Clinic
- AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County
- Susan G. Komen Orange County Affiliate
- No Square Theatre
- Oaks Middle School Band, Ontario
- Laguna Laughter Club
- Art Cars
- Laguna Beach Legal
- E. Steinert Construction
- Spurs & Satin
Parade programs will be available around town next week. Additional information can be found on the parade website: lagunabeachparade.org.
Or by contacting Sandi Werthe at 949-494-6016 or email [email protected].
The parade will be taped and broadcast by Cox Cable; for broadcast information check their website: cox3.com.”
The Crosscultural Council invite all to join their annual Post Parade Picnic at 12:30 p.m.in the parking lot of the Boy’s and Girls Club, 1085 Laguna Canyon Rd.,
for a mixture of cultures, Model A cars, kids and community. And the Vietnam vets will be at the Marine Room Tavern for their annual after-parade party.
[…] He was young and alive and part of something huge, and today he talks about it proudly, happily. Laguna has honored him in our annual Patriot’s Day Parade. […]
[…] Henry, a 50-year resident and regular at the weekly Laguna Beach Peace Vigil, said it was the largest protest event she had ever seen at Main Beach. “The first time I voted […]