By Laurie Hill
Editor’s note: In case you wondered about the 2022 Nautical Parade results, here they are!
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On Sept. 24 and 25 the Capitola Beach Festival again provided a weekend in Capitola Village filled with traditional and new family activities for the “Marvel of it All.”
The Festival team cheered the early rain the weekend before the Lighted Nautical Parade. Looking forward to improved water conditions on Soquel Creek for the floats, the team suddenly faced the possibility that the substantial rain might breach the sand barrier that secures the seasonal lagoon. No lagoon, no parade. Worst yet, the turbid runoff forced the City to release water from the lagoon to help the now oxygen-starved fish. The barges were forced off the creek just 2 days before the scheduled parade.
Team RN: Crowd favorite
Not wanting to cancel the parade, this resilient team envisioned barges on the sand. Serving as “land stages,” the barges were lit individually to simulate the “parade.”
Only 4 of the original 7 float teams shared this vision ━ but the parade must go on and the activity pivoted to the beach. For over 70 years, the Begonia and Beach Festivals have produced nautical parades. Only a few parades were canceled or moved to the streets, this was the first parade moved to the beach.
“It was a marvel that we pulled it off at all,” said Festival President Mary Beth Cahalen.
The warm-up act was a fisherman, Neal Savage, rowing along the beach closely followed by a shark fin. “Perhaps a land shark?”
First-place parade winner, the Mid County Senior Center’s entry captured the “Marvel of Fall in the Garden.” A colorful homespun garden gazebo was a delicately lit collective of scarecrows, sunflowers, lavender, and pumpkins. The team celebrated nature’s bounty and the return of the Senior Center as a gathering and activity space.
Jewel Boxers: Marvelous Captain Capitola
The second-place winner, the Jewel Boxers returning for their third year, featured the “Marvelous Captain Capitola” played by Annie Ellers. With an ever-changing display of lit images and music, the Captain took us on a journey of “marvelous” Capitola sites and activities. The 20-member float team, led by Karl Shubert, built a highly technical float that featured over 5,000 digital lights, animated by four stage controllers, much of which was recycled from their first-place entry in 2021.
The third-place float, entitled “ReflectionNNN” definitely benefited from the static display. The collaborative duo behind MCXT, Monica Caniloa and Xara Thustra, provided performances and an exotic display of recycled materials and costumes that reflected upon the grandeur of past water festivals and paid homage to the First Peoples of these waterways. Their float included flowers as their nod to the Begonia Festival. The artistic team invited visitors to their upcoming installation at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Mid-County Senior Center: Marvel of Fall in the Garden
Although not eligible for an award, the Festival’s “Water” Marshals’ own pivot from lighted-kayak dancing to dancing in the sand was clearly the crowd favorite. Celebrating nurses and health professionals, they were energetically led by Nautical Parade Chair Thea Luiten, holding an oversized syringe. They drew in the crowd and danced to tunes that humorously parodied the role of nurses.
In reflection, Nautical Parade Chair Thea Luiten said, “It was a hard fast pivot for this parade. Makes the team ponder what the future might hold for our beloved Nautical Parade on Soquel Creek.”
The Lighted Nautical Parade was just one of 13 activities that took place over the weekend that included: Lil Wharf 3-mile foot race, a new Corn Hole Popup, Sand Sculptures, concert, Fishing Derby, Horseshoe Tournament, and others. Both days included a new and popular Scavenger Hunt designed by Teresa Green. Unfortunately the rowboat races were cancelled due to the creek conditions.
Let’s see what next year brings.