4th of JULY

I usually photograph the same thing on the 4th of July each year.  I start off at the Annual Mariners Bike Parade in the neighborhood which ends at the park where they have food trucks and activities for the kids.  From there I usually head down to photograph people on the Peninsula and boardwalk, often walking miles to the Balboa Island ferry.  At night we walk over and watch fireworks, depending on were we stand we can see up to five shows, one right in front of us.  

COVID-19 cancelled most of those things and Governor Newsom closed all of our beaches.  To make things worse the only thing at Mariners park this year was a large memorial for 15-year old Johnny Van der Ahe who had lived in the neighborhood.  He had been killed two days earlier by an impaired driver after coming his skateboard ramp into the street.  The memorial was another reminder of mortality in a year full of reminders of that fact.  

Luckily the Annual 4th of July Newport Harbor Boat Parade still went on, so I had something to photograph.  Like the Memorial Day Boat Parade many of the boats carried flags in support of reelecting President Donald Trump.  There was an abundance of illegal aerial fireworks in the city this year which somewhat made up for not being able to see a professional display.  Beach cities in California are always a massive party on the 4th of July, and Newport Beach is one of the biggest, it was surreal to see it so quiet this year.