Showing off their winning ways

Lolita Harper

NEWPORT HARBOR -- A checklist for a winning entry in the Newport

Harbor Christmas Boat Parade may read something like this:

Ingenuity. Check.

Manpower. Check.

Lots and lots of twinkling lights. Check.

Dancing wife in Santa Claus suit. Check.

At least that is what it took for Greg and Mary Ross -- and boat Miss

Frannie -- to win first place in the humor and originality category last

year.

“She danced the entire parade route every night, for seven nights, to

rock ‘n’ roll Christmas [music],” Greg Ross said.

One has to be willing to party for an entire week, while enduring the

cold weather, to walk -- or float -- away a winner, Ross said.

And that doesn’t include the hours of preparation, he said.

“It took us four guys, four days and four cases of beer” to hang

11,000 lights on Miss Frannie, Ross said. “And it was great, and we got

it done.”

But lights and Santa suits won’t be enough to win this year, said

Seymour Beek, who is in charge of judging. This year’s theme is “Let

Freedom Ring” -- a deviation from the usual holiday theme.

“We’ll be looking for lots of red, white and blue, flags and bells,”

Beek said.

There are four major categories, which include lights and animation,

humor and originality, adherence to the theme and music. An overall

winner -- or sweepstakes winner -- is also chosen for encompassing the

best aspects of all four categories, Beek said. Thirty-two judges are

given a specific category to score and tally the boats’ totals to

establish the winners.

Of course, it is never released where along the parade route, or on

which night of the parade, the judges will be lurking, Beek said.

“It’s confidential,” Beek said.

Geoff Landon, an 11-time overall winner, designed and built an

intricate patriotic display this year, depicting a heroic scene from

ground zero after the World Trade Center attacks. Characters from Dr.

Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” -- 60-foot inflatable regulars on

Landon’s boat -- will be wearing firefighter helmets and holding a giant

American flag, he said.

Landon said he and friend Tod Cowley started designing the theme this

summer.

“We start planning in June or July, depending on how intricate our

scene will be or how much building we have to do,” Landon said.

In addition to the patriotic theme, the annual staples -- such as

10,000 lights, loud music and partying guests -- will still be included,

he said.

About two dozen guests gather on Unpretentious Too -- Landon’s 61-foot

yacht -- to drink, dance and be merry. And no party is complete without

blaring Dr. Demento Christmas tunes in the background, he said.

While winning is a welcome and common accolade, Landon participates

for celebration, not for recognition.

“I don’t celebrate Christmas,” he said. “This is my Christmas.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .