A 19-year-old Dallas native with nose ring and mandolin gave his name as Seven. He and three fellow buskers found luck with thousands of others Saturday night.
With a guitar case open (“Sushi n’ Weed” said to be the goal), Seven was joined by his wife, 24-year-old Stormy Delp of Tucson, and a couple they met several days ago — harmonica player Sedrick, 23, and 35-year-old Jennifer Wojciechowski of Chicago.
“Ocean Beach is a lot warmer than other places,” Seven said outside the Miss Match boutiqueon Newport Avenue. He and Delp said they were seeing the ocean for the first time.
Sedrick (who gave no last name) and Wojciechowski shared the sidewalk near the street-spanning “Happy OB Holidays” sign with Seven and Delp as the 40th annual parade danced past — with shops, eateries and bars packed to the gills.
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Snacks and drinks kept children fueled for the 90-minute Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
Bay Park Girl Scouts came well-lit for the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
Youngsters danced to music on one of several guitar units in the parade, watched by Anthony Ciulla and Tracy Dezenzo of the Ocean Beach Planning Group. Photo by Ken Stone
Only in the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade do gentlemen wear flip-flops and beach shorts under formal attire. Photo by Ken Stone
Weather cooperated for sake of lightly dressed parade units, who marched in mid-60s temps with no rain. Photo by Ken Stone
Red and green were the hang-loose motif of this Christmas-themed music unit. Photo by Ken Stone
Red and green were the hang-loose motif of this Christmas-themed music unit. Photo by Ken Stone
Parade announcer for the fifth or sixth year, Frank Gormlie (left) shared mic duties with kids at Sunset Cliffs intersection booth. Photo by Ken Stone
Bubble-blowing guns made for a dazzling display at the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
Young people holding signs for planet protection march past the ARCO gas station on Newport Avenue. Photo by Ken Stone
A seagull flies past the traditional Happy OB Holidays sign on Newport Avenue. Photo by Chris Stone
David “Double Trouble” Moore of Ocean Beach came dressed as a Christmas tree. His gloves lit up. Photo by Ken Stone
Youngsters with Students Demand Action marched for gun safety measures. Photo by Ken Stone
Camilla Evans, 5, leaned back in joy on the shoulders of Jake Bastien at Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
One group marched as Newport Avenue Disco Dancers. Photo by Ken Stone
Young people seemed to dominate the Ocean Beach Hoiiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
Surfing was present on shore in the parade down Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. Photo by Chris Stone
An inflated Santa makes its way down Newport Avenue toward the ocean. Photo by Chris Stone
A dog does its best impression of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Photo by Chris Stone
Santa, played by Wesley Henry, made his appearance at the end of the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade aboard a lifeguard craft. Photo by Chris Stone
Family and friends cheered participants in the Ocean Beach Holiday parade. Photo by Chris Stone
Boys in a martial arts group battle with light sabers as they make their way down the parade route. Photo by Chris Stone
Parade workers signaled the necessary pace to upcoming parade units. Photo by Chris Stone
Holiday lights on people and parade participants lit up the night in Ocean Beach. Photo by Chris Stone
Children on a fire vehicle pass the lighted Ocean Beach tree. Photo by Chris Stone
Holiday lights decorate a golf cart down Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. Photo by Chris Stone
Children on unicycles were lit up on the parade route. Photo by Chris Stone
Holiday-decorated DeLoreans excite thousands of spectators along Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. Photo by Chris Stone
Many children were spectators and participants in the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Chris Stone
Music added to the holiday spirit during the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Chris Stone
A girl dressed as a unicorn waves as parade units pass. Photo by Chris Stone
Stephanie Metzner catches smiles from sister Charlie, 2, and brother Porter, 4, children of Renee Herman. Photo by Chris Stone
Many dogs as well as human spectators were dressed in holiday attire. Photo by Chris Stone
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer waves from a trolley during the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Chris Stone
A man with a pigeon mask joins the campaign to expand the Ocean Beach Library. Photo by Chris Stone
The Ocean Beach parade features holiday inflatables, Scouts, dancers, political and commercial groups. Photo by Chris Stone
Sharon and David Vizcaino brought their dogs Chewy and Ginger to Newport Avenue. Photo by Ken Stone
Ocean Beach librarian Matt Beatty (center) and SDTV.com president Mark Yancey (right) were among five parade judges. Photo by Ken Stone
Raindrops cling to an ornament on the Ocean Beach Christmas tree. Rain threatened to put a damper on the parade. Photo by Chris Stone
Thousands of Obeceans and other San Diegans celebrated the holidays in typical Ocean Beach fashion — cheering a joyful and funky low-tech parade sponsored by the OB Town Council.
More than 100 units — including one of just “OB Neighbors” representing no cause or commercial interest — headed west toward the traditionally tilted Christmas tree near the reconstructed pier. Temps in the mid-60s were a welcome respite from recent stormy weather.
Whiskered cat had good moves at the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Photo by Ken Stone
Frank Gormlie —- the political activist and advocacy journalist with OB Rag — showed his goofy side as a parade announcer for the fifth or sixth year, warming up the crowd with readings from the book “Laugh Out Loud Jokes for Kids.”
(“What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand? Quatro sinko,” he said. “When does Newport Avenue get angry? When somebody crosses it.”)
Mostly Gormlie followed a script (helpfully printed in bigger type this year), giving shoot-outs to every unit. (“Hey, guys, let’s hear it for the post office!”) and local politicians — Mayor Kevin Faulconer and mayor candidate Assemblyman Todd Gloria (riding in vehicles, Gloria with a reindeer doll at his side) and county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher (given credit for walking).
David Moore of Ocean Beach (nicknamed “Double Trouble”) entertained fellow spectators — dressed as a Christmas tree with mittens that lit up red.
Judges at the end of the 90-minute parade looked to award prizes (next month) in seven categories — Best Use of Lights, Best OB Spirit, Most Unusual, Best Kids Group, Best Performance, Best Live Music and Best Overall.
Everything was loosey-goosey as marchers (mostly) obeyed volunteers holding “Speed Up” signs. But one rule was sacrosanct.
“There is only ONE official Santa Claus in the parade, designated by the OBTC; other complete Santa Claus outfits or costumes are NOT PERMITTED in the parade,” said guidelines. “Santa hats are acceptable.”
