100th Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade

We went to Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade on the 9th of June, a beautiful, sunny Saturday. The theme for this year is Rock 'n' Roses. It is the second largest all-floral parade in North America and the single-largest event in Oregon. More than 500,000 spectators lined the 4.3 mile parade route which begins inside the Memorial Coliseum and continues through DOwntown Portland.

We reached there at 10am, and there was already a lot of people sitting along the street. We were lucky as we are still able to get a place. The three girls sit there quietly, waiting for the parade to start.

I packed some sandwiches, just in case the parade will be finishing quite late. The girls started their picnic before the parade starts.

We also brought along some homemade banana chips.

This year's parade highlights include 14 colorful, floral-covered floats, including a self-built entry from Reed College. Reed is marking its own milestone, celebrating 100 years of excellence in education. To reflect this year's rousing Rose Festival theme, Rock 'n' Roses, the parade featured more music than ever. 18 traditional marching bands  joined in the lineup by several dancing groups and three live acapella singing groups-the latter representing the best of a new Rose Festival event, the Rose City Sing-Off. 21 equestrian groups, plus marchers, dancers and special guests in vintage automobiles fill out the 90+ entries.

ES got a sticker from the fire fighter.

Policemen were joining in the parade too...

Rose Festival Clown Prince

President's Award

Clackamas County Fair Princess

Alaska Airline

With their air stewardess

Delta Society Therapy Llama

Double Decker PDX

Union Pacific Railroad

Rose Festival Character Clown Corps

West Salem Titan Marching band

The 100th Grand Floral Parade has tapped another Portland icon to serve as grand marshal this year. Packy the elephant turned 50 in April, and while his presence in the parade will be more representative than real. In Rose Festival memory this is the first time a grand marshal has been chosen who was unable to appear live. Packy's image was featured on a float sponsored by Bank of America, and he was accompanied by 50 ZooGuides, each marking a year of his age. Back in 1962, less than two months after Packy was born, the Rose Festival contemplated making him grand marshal and having him ride in the back of a convertible! Mama Belle and Papa Thonglaw were less than supportive of that untenable arrangement.

Women! Register to VOte!

Pearson Air Museum

Rose SOciety Award

Century High School Marching Band

From HAwaii

We are Ducks, We are Oregon!

Oregon City High School

Oregon Trail Interpretive Centre

Theme Award - won by Fred Myer.

Queen Thelma Award

Rose Festival Court Award

Battle Ground High School Tiger Band

United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps -  Decatur Division

By Scouts of America

Judge's award - Portland Kao Hsiung Sister City Association

Shu-Te High School Marching Band, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Columbia River Peace Corps Association

We saw Malaysia's flag there too - the man wearing baju melayu & songkok at the back row

Vietnamese - Community of Oregon

Portland - Guadalajala Sister City Association

Indonesian Community of Oregon

High five at the end!

The organising committee is really efficient. Cleaning up the sreet immediatey after the event.

Passed by an old building when we walked to our car.

Overall, the girls enjoyed the parade very much. Glad that they really sit there for three hours, without making much noise. They can still tell me what they saw in the parade even till today.