With an Unusually High Number of Vessels Circling the Harbor, and Unexpected Large Crowds in Public Spaces, Other Boats May Have Trouble Navigating While Space Is Taken Away From Other Beachgoers
The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors has issued a Cease and Desist letter to the organizers of a Halloween boat parade planned for Marina del Rey this weekend.
Set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m., spectators are encouraged to watch from Burton Chase Park and other spots as a flurry of vessels adorned with Halloween-themed lights and decorations sail through the Marina del Rey harbors in the third annual “Halloween Boat Pageant”. Registered participants, whose entry fees would benefit Autism Speaks and local outreach programs, anticipate competition for prizes in various categories.
But earlier this week, county officials sent a notice to the pageant’s organizers to cancel the event, asserting that, without a permit, the spectacle violates county codes and federal regulations. Failure to comply will lead to fines, according to the letter.
“An individual or organization planning to hold a regatta or marine parade which, by its nature, circumstances or location, will introduce extra or unusual hazards to the safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States, shall submit an application to the Coast Guard District Commander having cognizance of the area where it is intended to hold such regatta or marine parade.” the letter, issued on Monday, states.
The boat pageant organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mirror Media Group.
The issues at stake are safety hazards along with public access, said a representative with the County Department. With an unusually high number of vessels circling the harbor, and unexpected large crowds in public spaces, other boats may have trouble navigating while space is taken away from other beachgoers.
“With permitting, it’s not just this boat parade that’s an issue.” said the representative. “We have so many unpermitted events at Dockweiler and other beaches. People don’t seem to realize that ‘Yes, you need a permit for putting on a 300-person party with a DJ and booths and such.’ It’s an access issue. When people hold private events, they can block parking spaces for other people who want to go to the beach that day.”
Competing for space would especially become an issue this weekend. Concurrently with the planned date for the “Halloween Boat Pageant”, Beaches and Harbors will host its annual “Marina Spooktacular”, a two-day Halloween festival also set for Burton Chace Park including a blackout maze, a graveyard treasure hunt and food trucks.
According to the cease and desist notice, the “Boat Pageant”’s organizers are urged to immediately remove references to the “3rd Annual Halloween Boat Parade,” “3rd Annual Halloween Boat Pageant,” and Department-owned facilities from websites and social media platforms.
As of this writing, those references still appear on https://halloweenboatparade.com/ and on the @halloweenboatparade Instagram account.
