Daffodil court members stand between the wings of floral doves in this tribute to the "American Way" produced by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, winner of the first place commercial entry award. A huge floral daffodil dominates the center of the float, followed by a fountain at the rear of the float. The float had just turned the corner from 9th onto Pacific. The Daffodil parade has been held annually since 1934 except for World War II years, and was suggested as a use for the blooms of the Puyallup Valleys' Daffodil bulb crop that were either thrown away or used as fertilizer before the parade's inception.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Seed Company, 805 Pacific Ave., sponsored this entry- a Sunbeam Greenhouse pulled by an automobile. The greenhouse is full of hot house flowers including some daffodils. The crowd on Pacific Ave. bundled up in coats, hats and blankets against the brisk spring weather look longingly at the warmth inside the greenhouse. Tacoma Seed Co. was also featured prominently at the Flower Show that was part of the Daffodil Festival celebration.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Tacoma Seed Co. (Tacoma);

The crowd disperses from the 900 block of Pacific Avenue after the completion of the enormously successful 1950 Daffodil Parade, leaving a large job for the street cleaning crew. One man descends from the Federal Finance Co. awning, where he had scrambled up to better view the parade. The Daffodil Festival and its parade were the brainchild of the cities of Tacoma, Puyallup and Sumner. A volunteer Board of Directors from these cities, representing Chambers of Commerce, businesses and growers, toiled throughout the year without pay to plan the festivities. Ski and yacht clubs planned events in conjunction, and professional growers worked with womens' garden clubs on the Flower Show. The whole Festival was ruled over by a teenage Daffodil Queen elected from one of the three sponsoring cities.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma);

This "hooked" and flower bedecked King Salmon is one half of the float sponsored by the Young Mens Improvement Club in the 1950 Daffodil Parade, the other half is the boat and fisherman pulling it down Pacific Avenue. This ingenious two part float was the third place winner in class 3. The float celebrated the dominance of King Salmon in Northwest commercial and game fishing. (TNT 4/2/1950, pg. A-8)

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This float by Tacoma City Lights carried Queen Nancy Jean Davis (at rear) of Sumner, Princess Audrey Rentsch (left) of Puyallup, and Princess Betty Hurlong (right) of Stadium High in Tacoma down Pacific Avenue during the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The float was decked with thousands of daffodils and tulips befitting the royal trio. The trio were very busy during the Festival and throughout the Spring attending functions and representing the Puyallup Valley area.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Davis, Nancy Jean; Rentsch, Audrey; Hurlong, Betty;

This floral tribute to the daffodil, Puyallup Valley's bright yellow herald of Spring, won the first prize commercial entry award for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The daffodil industry was established in the Valley in 1926. The area's farmers were dealing with the failing hops industry brought on by Prohibition and a hops virus that decimated the crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was looking for a location to establish a bulb industry, for daffodils, tulips and irises, to rival that of Holland. The Valley had the perfect growing conditions for daffodils and soon established itself as the leader in the industry, producing bulbs that bested those of Holland, being larger and earlier.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Armed Forces Day was created in 1949 to allow citizens to come together on a single holiday to thank our men in uniform for their service to our country. In this photograph of the May 1950 Armed Forces Day parade military units from Fort Lewis are marching south on Pacific Avenue. The camera's image offers a view of the facades of the buildings in the 900 block of Pacific. The Rust Building with 12 stories is at the end of the block. Awnings and fire escapes hang from many of the buildings. All the buildings in the 900 block of Pacific were demolished in the late 1960s to make way for the Park Plaza North Parking Garage.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Soldiers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Elks, Emmett T. Anderson, Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks.The "Scotch Kilties" band of Fort Lewis were featured during the parade welcoming Emmett T. Anderson home from the National Elks Convention. The parade has stopped at the intersection of 9th and Broadway by the Roxy Theatre to allow the Scotch Kilties to perform intricate maneuvers. Band members wear traditional Scottish attire and play drums and bag pipes. The theater was showing "The Girl from Jones Beach" starring Ronald Reagan. (TNT, 7/28/1949, p.1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Scotland--Clothing & dress; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma); Marching bands--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pipes (Musical instruments); Roxy Theatre (Tacoma);

Members of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners) march down Pacific Ave. during the 22nd annual Daffodil Parade April 16, 1955. The marching group is followed by floats representing the Afifi Patrol and the Tacobat Grotto. Over 200,000 viewers jammed sidewalks, hung from windows and perched on fire escapes to experience the 2 mile long parade. The parade was over 2 hours long from start to finish. In 1955, the parade was also televised by both local Tacoma stations with another estimated 1,000,000 viewers watching from the comfort of their living rooms throughout the Northwest. Overcast skies opened up and pelted the crowd with rain just before the start of the parade, but alternating mist and sunshine were the norm for the duration of the parade. Viewers wore jackets to ward off the spring chill.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1955 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma);

The 1955 Sweepstakes Award went to this float sponsored by the U.S. Naval Station and Tacoma Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. In keeping with the theme of a "Golden Future," the float has a nine foot golden daffodil cross and a eight foot revolving world globe. The two are connected by a rainbow of tinted daffodils, symbolizing faith, hope and love, that flows from the foot of the cross to all surfaces of the world. The design is covered with 150,000 daffodils and adorned by Navy wives and Naval service employees. This inspiring float marked the second year that the Navy float had won the top award.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1955 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Naval yards & naval stations--Tacoma; Navies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

1955 Daffodil Queen Elvera Sommer, from Puyallup, waves from her sunburst throne on the 50 foot City Light float. The float, designed by Weston DeMaris and built by Bill Knabel, is adorned with 50,000 blossoms of daffodil, iris and foliage. The Queen is accompanied by her Princesses Marianna Vaughan of Sumner and Bette Birkland, a senior at Stadium High School in Tacoma. Also adorning the float are Daffodil court members Darlene Swalley and Judy Nelson, on the left, and Philimine Tungsvik and Joanne Sheppard, on the right. Queen Elvera I had only been in the U.S. for three years, coming as an immigrant from war torn Germany. She repeatedly emphasized in speeches how wonderful America was and how happy she was to be here. She was the perfect representative for the theme "Golden Future." In 1955, for the first time the queen was chosen from an open field of candidates from Puyallup, Sumner and Tacoma high schools. In previous years, each city had elected the queen solely from their city in alternating years.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1955 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Sommer, Elvera; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Intersection of 11th & Pacific, Johnny Appleseed scatters the seeds of faith on this float entered by the First Assembly of God. In keeping with the 1956 theme of "Storytime in Daffodils," the church has chosen the fable of Johnny Appleseed who seeded the Northwest with groves of apple trees to provide shelter and food. This Johnny sows the seeds of faith next to a small flower bedecked church.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; First Assembly of God (Tacoma);

Sponsored by the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., Dorothy and friends on the "Over the Rainbow" float pass by 9th & Pacific during the 1957 Daffodil Parade. Rain or shine, the parade always brought out thousands of spectators. Those sitting on Morley Studio's upstairs sign and the marquee next door had excellent views. Crowds of 200,000 saw the 24th annual parade proceed through Tacoma, Puyallup and Summer. The 60 foot "Over the Rainbow" float won the inaugural President Award Plaque for the best use of daffodils. Katherine Bennett, 13, of Olympia was chosen to portray "Dorothy." Photograph ordered by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (TNT 4-13-57, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1957 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Spectators--Tacoma; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

1967 Daffodil Parade. Snow White and friends accompanied the Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute Daffodil float on the streets of downtown Tacoma in April, 1967. Flower-bedecked float #4 is pictured passing by large crowds at 11th & Pacific while two clowns with a cart full of popcorn cross behind. "Fun 'n Fantasy" was the theme of the 34th Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival where 31 floats, 28 bands, 21 drill teams and eight mounted units paraded before 55,000 Tacoma spectators. (TNT 4-8-67, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1967: Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Clowns;

1968 Daffodil parade. Throngs of spectators are bundled up against a cold, brisk wind as they watch the 35th annual Daffodil Festival parade roll down Pacific Avenue on April 6, 1968. Float #13, decorated in golden daffodils, is the St. Regis Paper Co. entry, "King Midas' Golden Touch," which won the Mayor's trophy for best use of the parade's namesake flower. St. Regis was a perennial award-winning entrant in the parade. The 1968 parade was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who had been assassinated two days before. Color photograph ordered by St. Regis Paper Co. (TNT 4-6-68, A-1, TNT 4-7-68, B-4)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1968 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1960-1970;

1968 Daffodil parade. Yabba dabba do! The Flintstones, #22, won the Daffodilian trophy for most humorous entry in the 35th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival held on April 6, 1968. Fred is perched atop a hardworking dinosaur at the quarry while baby Pebbles and her mom, Wilma, scoot along in steamroller car, pedaled by foot-power. Baby Bam-Bam visits outside the Flintstones home. The colorful float, one of 26 in the parade, was entered by the Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute. The festival's theme was "Tales & Legends." Color photograph ordered by the Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute. (TNT 4-6-68, A-1, TNT 4-7-68, B-3)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1968 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Vocational School (Tacoma);

Thousands of local residents flocked to downtown Tacoma to enjoy both the sunshine and the many dazzling floral floats in the 1958 Daffodil Parade. Pierce County Oil Information Committee's Float #33 was evidently "The Old Woman in a Shoe". Wearing a shawl and granny glasses, the shoe's owner is apparently keeping her eye on the four visible children seated on the flower-bedecked float. The float won second place in the Wholesale and Industrial Division. There were forty floats entered in various divisions among 100+ parade entries. (TNT 4-13-58, B-9)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1958 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Festivals--Tacoma; Pierce County Oil Information Committee (Tacoma);

The people sitting comfortably in the window of Sauro's Cleanerama, 1401-05 Pacific Ave., were spared the cold, blustery winds on this day in April of 1964, and had a good view of the 31st annual Daffodil Parade as it passed by. The young ladies on this particular float seem to be struggling to keep their parasols open and not blown off course. The theme of 1964's parade was "Nations on Parade," but floats like the above also saluted Washington State's 75th anniversary of statehood.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1964 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Sauro's Cleanerama (Tacoma);

Tacoma Real Estate Board float. Waving to the crowds, oars at rest, are members of the Tacoma Real Estate Board participating in the 27th Daffodil Parade on April 9, 1960. The float is passing North Coast Hotel and Eastern Electroplating at 14th & Pacific Avenue. The News Tribune called the float a "Catamaran on a Sea of Daffodils," as sixty thousand daffodils were used for decoration. Entitled "Happi Time," the entry won first prize in the Clubs and Organizations Division. The parade theme in 1960 was "Daffodils Salute Hawaii" in honor of the 50th state; Hawaii Lt. Gov. James K. Kealoha was the parade's grand marshal. (TNT 4-10-60, B-8)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1960 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Real Estate Board (Tacoma);

Waving gracefully to the crowd are seven members of the Daffodil court on April 6, 1963. Wet weather on the 30th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil parade did not deter participants or crowds from gamely attending the event. These princesses are garbed in raingear draped over floor length ballroom gowns and carry small white parasols. Their princess float had broken down at the start of the parade, causing a delay of nearly an hour. It was decided that the princesses would walk the route; high heels and slippery streets would not prevent the determined young ladies from greeting parade spectators. They are nearing the end of the Tacoma portion of the parade as they march past the Greyhound station at 13th & Pacific. The strolling royalty were listed as Jane Mutschler, Karen Iverson, Nancy Vaughan, Karen Korsmo, Mary Ann Lambert, Loretta Huffman and Pam Burrell. (TNT 4-6-63, A-1, 4-7-63, B-9)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1963 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Tacoma celebrated its 100th anniversary with eight days of fun for the entire family in June of 1969. On June 28th a grand parade travelled down Pacific Avenue. Sitting atop the backseat of a 1960 Pontiac Bonneville convertible Chief Robert "Bob" Satiacum of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians waved to the crowds enjoying the Tacoma Centennial Parade. Chief Satiacum is wearing a headdress; the other man seated next to him is unidentified. Chief Satiacum was an Indian rights activist and an advocate of native treaty fishing rights. He would pass away in 1991 at the age of 62.

Tacoma Centennial Parade (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Satiacum, Robert; Indians of North America--Puyallup; Pontiac automobile;

Tacoma Centennial Parade. Entries from the American Indians of the Tacoma Area included a mixture of Native American tribes of North America. They sponsored a float (not shown) entitled "Tacoma's First People" which represented the Puyallup, Colville, Yakima, Umatilla, Muckelshoot, Kaw and Nisqually as well as Arizona's Navajo and Oklahoma's Cree tribes. A group of Native Americans wearing ceremonial dress are shown above aboard a Buck & Son flatbed truck.

Tacoma Centennial Parade (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Centennial celebrations; Indians of North America--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Tacoma Centennial Parade. Bethel 27 of Steilacoom, International Order of Job's Daughters, was one of 23 floats participating in the 1969 Tacoma Centennial Parade. The chapter's drill team accompanied the white and purple float filled with Bethel 27's royalty. Tacoma was celebrating its 100th anniversary with a lavish parade and a myriad of activities including a costumed historical pageant held at the Lincoln Bowl and citizens, both private and public, wearing an array of old-time clothing styles.

Tacoma Centennial Parade (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; International Order of Job's Daughters (Washington); Drill teams;

Tacoma Centennial Parade. Making a colorful splash in the 1969 Tacoma Centennial Parade was the Culinary Belles entry from local area restaurants. The bright red 40-foot float carried examples of nearly-forgotten kitchen accessories including an antique butter churn and an 1889 coffee grinder. A waitress, dressed in long white gown and cap, appeared more like a nurse than a restaurant employee. Visiting "customers" were elaborately dressed in clothing styles and hats of the past. Entertaining at the piano was Marilyn Ogburn of the Cable Car Room of Steve's Gay '90s.

Tacoma Centennial Parade (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Ogburn, Marilyn; Pianos; Churns;

Tacoma Centennial Parade. With steam billowing befitting its nickname, "Old Snorter" gave parade viewers a good look at logging equipment of the past. The Lake Cushman Development Co. entry was a restored 70-year-old steam donkey. "Old Snorter" had been used for logging in the Olympic Peninsula where it loaded logs onto railroad cars at landings and also yarded logs in the woods. Aboard the steam donkey were Bill Parsons, Syd Anderson, George Mueller, Gene Visser and Lyle Linton.

Tacoma Centennial Parade (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Steam donkeys; Parsons, Bill; Anderson, Syd; Mueller, George; Visser, Gene; Linton, Lyle;

1970 Daffodil Festival Paradel. For the second straight year, brilliant blue skies greeted the spectators of the annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade. Coming a fair distance from the city of Wenatchee was the entry from the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival. Pink Grecian pillars topped with sprays of yellow daffodils and pink blossoms provided an attractive setting for the festival princesses. The Wenatchee entry would win the "Other Festival Award." The float was followed by the 45-piece Eatonville High School band accompanied by the 22-member drill team and 10 majorettes. In the background is the old Public Safety Building.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1970 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1970-1980; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1970-1980; Public Safety Building (Tacoma); Marching bands;

1970 Daffodil Festival Parade. Winner of the Grand Award for the second consecutive year, the St. Regis Paper Co.'s 1970 entry, "Nature's 3-Ring Circus," measured 65-feet in length and supported three large rings on three different levels. More than 130,000 daffodils were used to create the wonders of nature. Portraying vacationers and nature lovers were six St. Regis employees: Janet McAlister, Debra Weinhart, Kay Koth, LaRue Rasmussen, Marina Nason and Kathy Turbyfill. (TNT 4-11-70, p. 1 - article)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1970 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1970-1980; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1970-1980; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1970-1980;

1970 Daffodil Parade. Led by drum major Chuck Whitman, the black-and-gold clad 100-member marching band from Puyallup High School takes a bow before the rows of spectators lining the streets of downtown Tacoma for the 37th annual Daffodil Festival Parade. Each side of Pacific Avenue gets its own section of musicians bowing. Following the band are the Vikettes drill team in purple and gold. The April 11, 1970, parade attracted crowds of over 100,000 during its three city tour; the Puyallup High School band was one of 23 bands participating and the Vikettes, one of 18 drill teams. Beautiful sunny weather for the second year in a row helped to make the parade one of the most heavily attended in parade history. (TNT 4-11-79 - article)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1970 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1970-1980; Marching bands; Drill teams;

1968 Richards stock footage of Daffodil Festival parade. The Afifi Temple Shrine's entry "Shriners Pot of Gold" won first place in the fraternal group competition at the 35th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade on April 6, 1968. Roller-skating youngsters under the flowered rainbow demonstrate that wheelchairs and crutches can be thrown away once their dreams come true. (TNT 4-7-68, B-1, B-5)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1968 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Daffodils--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma);

The entry from Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute took the Judge's Award in the 36th annual Daffodil Festival Parade on April 12, 1969. The sternwheeler, dubbed the "Centennial Queen," was covered with golden and yellow daffodils and manned by several men and women dressed in clothing styles of a century gone by.The parade's theme was "Down Memory Lane." (TNT 4-13-69, B-4)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1969 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Daffodils--Tacoma;