Floats Taking Shape For Big Bay Balloon Parade

Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Contact: John Gilmore (619) 686-7206, (619)341-5684

When the Port of San Diego’s 19th Annual Big Bay Balloon Parade takes sail at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, spectators will be entertained by some real characters. Besides Grand Marshall “Jack Box” of fast-food giant Jack in the Box, the Weenie Waddlers, the Newspaper Dog and the Invisible Drill Team will be parading along Harbor Drive.

Among the floats will be the two built by Steven Mansueto’s Manmade Entertainment, one for Cox Communications, and one for San Diego Family Magazine, whose float was designed by a local elementary student. Mansueto and his work crew will spend roughly 10 hours assembling each float at a warehouse on the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

By midmorning Tuesday, the Cox creation, with its street lights and large red bows adorning the light poles, was nearly finished. In the parade, the San Diego County Teachers of the Year will be riding on the float.

“Right now, we’re fluffing the trees,” Mansueto said as a worker shaped the trees and adorned each one with decorations.

Wednesday morning it will be towed to the parade route (PDF) along Harbor Drive, from Grape Street to the Broadway Pier. Mansueto’s second float, powered by a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, will be driven – about 10 miles per hour – along with a police escort.

Twenty-two giant helium-filled balloons will be featured in the parade along with the marching bands, city and county dignitaries and members of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. Revelers will also be treated to a 45-foot tall “Darth Stewie” balloon. At nearly 200 pounds, the balloon is part of a multi-city tour of the release of “Family Guy: Something, Something Dark Side” on DVD and Blu-Ray.

And of course, there will be parade participants and an expected 100,000 spectators, many of them fans of the University of Arizona Wildcats and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers who will compete in the annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl game at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Qualcomm Stadium.

In case you are unable to make it to the parade, you can see the bands, the cast of characters and Jack Box on a live broadcast on Cox Channel 4 of San Diego. It will also be livestreamed on the Port of San Diego web site. The parade will air nationally on the USA Network at 9 a.m. Jan. 1.

If you do go to the parade, parking is limited. Harbor Drive will be closed from Grape Street to Pacific Highway from 6:45 a.m. until noon on December 30. Pacific Highway will be closed from Harbor Drive to Broadway during that same time. In addition, southbound Pacific Highway will only have one traffic lane open from Grape Street to Ash Street from 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.

If you do go, parking is limited. The Port of San Diego is encouraging parade goers to carpool or use public transportation. To view the parade route or to find out more about the Holiday Bowl events, visit www.pacificlifeholidaybowl.com.

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