Newport Sea Base to host annual Opening Day celebration

NEWPORT BEACH— The Newport Sea Base will get in the swing of spring Saturday, April 12 with a celebration of its annual Opening Day. The event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will offer spectators an opportunity to tour Sea Scout vessels and sightsee on sailboats and pontoons as they circuit the harbor. Admission is free to the public and includes an afternoon barbeque put on by volunteers from the Newport Beach Firefighters Association. The helping hands will be grilling hamburgers and hotdogs donated by Smart and Final. “Traditional yacht club opening days—we kind of piggy-backed on that idea many, many years ago,” said Shana Bannert, executive director of the Sea Base. “Ours is nontraditional in that it’s much more youth-oriented. It’s a way for us to open our doors to the community.” The base, which serves more than 30,000 people a year, will offer visitors the option to take part in lawn games and face painting, while also perusing a variety of booths by local vendors and stands supporting Newport Harbor, the Back Bay Science Program and other community enterprises. An 11 a.m. reception will be followed by a short program on the lawn at noon. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor...