Each December, glistening lights dance on the waterways, floating parades of boats big and small decked out for the holidays. The granddaddy of them all, Newport Beach’s famed boat parade, which has ...

The parade's theme was "The Magic in Teamwork." Members of the "Golden Bears" band from Osaka, Japan, wave to the crowd along the parade route. Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images ...

It’s hard to pin down which floats go above and beyond each year in the annual Rose Parade. Created with planning that happens months — sometimes even years — out from the parade, each decked out with ...