Two majestic elk, festooned with blossoms, "pull" an old fashioned streetcar in the 1953 Daffodil parade. The float was entered by the Tacoma Elks Club; the surface of the float, including its sides and also the streetcar, are covered with daffodils. There is a policeman, dressed in an old-time uniform, and conductor on board along with several passengers. Photograph ordered by Jay Downs.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1953 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Festivals--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Elk; Street railroads--Tacoma; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma);

Herb Erickson leads his students in a melody during the 1953 Daffodil parade. He was a teacher of the Honolulu Conservatory of Music; the school taught accordion and guitar to aspiring musicians. View of Erickson conducting his ensemble of accordionists, guitarists and bass player. Hundreds of daffodils cover the float, including a shell and two musical symbols, as well as a multitude of wooden notes. Photograph orderd by Floyd Piper.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1953 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Honolulu Conservatory of Music (Tacoma); Erickson, Herb; Accordions; Guitars; Daffodils--Tacoma;

Twelve princesses for the 1956 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival, dressed in Easter dresses and hats and holding baskets of flowers. Preparations were well underway for the 23rd annual Daffodil Festival to be held on April 9-15, 1956. Twelve candidates were vying for Queen. Seated left to right in row 1 are Dianne Divelbiss of Sumner and Judy Poolman of Sumner. 2nd row: Donna Kaelin of Sumner, Nancy Rosario of Sumner, Cheryl McDonald of Tacoma, Evelyn Strandley of Puyallup. 3rd row: Frances Delano of Puyallup, Connie Vandewall of Puyallup, Judy Nelson of Puyallup, Margaret Strachan of Tacoma. Top Row-Kathy Gustafson of Tacoma and Betty Zevenberger of Tacoma. Margaret Strachan was crowned Queen by Governor Arthur Langley April 9th in Spartan Hall in Sumner. The 18 year old Stadium High School senior was the first Tacoma girl ever elected Queen. Princesses were Diane Divelbiss, 17 year old Sumner senior, and Evelyn Strandley, 16 year old Puyallup junior. (TNT 4/1/1956, pg. D-1, TNT 4/10/1956, pg.1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956); Divelbiss, Dianne; Poolman, Judy; Kaelin, Donna; Rosario, Nancy; McDonald, Cheryl; Strandley, Evelyn; Delano, Frances; Vandewall, Connie; Nelson, Judy; Strachan, Margaret; Gustafson, Kathy; Zevenberger, Betty;

The characters from the famous L. Frank Baum childrens' book "The Wizard of Oz" populate this float in the Daffodil Parade. Waving to the audience are Dorothy, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and Princess Ozma of Oz. The Oz float was sponsored by the West Coast Grocery's Shop Rite Markets and won the Festival Award for 1956. The float had an 8 x 10 replica of the book and used 40,000 daffodils for coverage. (TNT 4/14/1956, pg. 1; 4/15/1956, pg. 1)

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

The nursery rhyme "Mary Mary, quite contrary" is the theme of this float; Mary waves to the crowd as she waters streams of flowers on her garden of "pretty maids all in a row." This float was sponsored by the Sears and Roebuck Co. and won first place in the Retail division, division 8. The parade viewers are bundled up in coats and hats as the day was dull and overcast, but the pretty maids show off their stems in short skirts. (TNT 4/14/1956, pg. 1; 4/15/1956, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau seems to have transported this float directly from the Arabian Nights to the Daffodil Festival. Two harem girls in black two piece outfits adorn the front of the float, while the sultan sits cross legged in the rear. The two Nubian slaves appear to be floral mannequins. The flower bedecked float adheres to the 1956 theme of "Storytime in Daffodils" and won first place in Division 6, other clubs and organizations.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau (Tacoma);

Grand Award winner. The St. Regis Paper Co. won the 36th annual Daffodil Festival Parade's Grand Award with its two-piece float, "Memoirs of Henry Foss," an homage to the 77-year-old native Tacoman who helped build Foss Launch and Tug into one of the largest firms of its kind on the Pacific Coast. The creation of the float came as a complete surprise to Mr. Foss who found out about the honor the morning of the parade when his son Drew escorted him to view the float. The float was divided into two sections; the first was a 20-foot replica of the tug, "Henry Foss," and was adorned with 40,000 flowers. The second piece, totaling 65 feet, displayed a boathouse, similar to the one on which Mr. Foss was born in, and rowboats, the firm's first boating rentals. 110,000 blossoms decorated the larger section. Karen Herman (Dowsett) served as "captain" of the Foss tugboat. According to Mrs. Herman, she agreed to wear the "pants" outfit in lieu of the more popular dresses in order to prevent further arguments among the float models. It proved to be a lucky decision as she got her own float and even more special, had the honor of receiving Henry Foss' own navy blue watch cap. She received a hug from Mr. Foss and was told to enjoy the day in the beautiful tugboat. Later in 1969 Mrs. Herman wrote to Mr. Foss and requested his autograph on her picture taken that day. She was thrilled to get a note from Mr. Foss in response to her request, the autographed photograph, and a compliment on her competent piloting through the streets of Tacoma. (Additional information received from Karen Herman (Dowsett) (TNT 4-12-69, p. 1, TNT 4-13-69, B-2, B-3)

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

Scenes from the 27th Daffodil Parade. Queen Diane Harkness, 17, of Lincoln High School and her attendants on the Tacoma City Light float, "Diamond Head," on April 9, 1960. 51,000 gold King Alfred and white Mt. Hood daffodils formed a replica of the famous Hawaiian landmark, Diamond Head, on the Queen's float which has traditionally been built by the Public Utilities department of the City of Tacoma. Queen Diane is seated on a majestic throne flanked by stately palms and four large orchid drum flowers. Six Daffodil princesses cluster around their queen wearing orchid leis and carrying daffodil bouquets. The 50 degree sharp breezy weather did not deter the daffodil royalty from smiling and waving happily to thousands of spectators lining the streets. (TNT 4-8-60, p. 1, 4-9-60, p. 1, 4-10-60, p. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1960 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Harkness, Diane;

Even the clowns riding on a tandem bicycle stare in awe at the Insured Savings & Loan Assns. of Tacoma's "sand-and-palm tree" float #19 entered in the April 9, 1960, 27th Daffodil Parade. Five lovely ladies sit among the hundreds of daffodils and wave to the packed crowds lining up at 10th & Pacific Avenue. The float, "Hawaiian Wedding Song," won the Festival Award for depicting the best parade theme. The 48' float had a lush tropical setting which showed a wedding party with a tiki god at the rear watching over the proceedings. (TNT 4-9-60, p. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1960 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Insured Savings & Loan Associations of Tacoma (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Real Estate Board shared some "aloha" spirit with Tacoma during the 27th Daffodil Parade when their daffodil-bedecked float, "Happi Time," proceeded past the Greyhound station at 1319 Pacific Avenue on April 9, 1960. Eight young ladies, adorned with leis, waved to the crowd lined several deep on the sidewalk. The theme of the Daffodil Festival was "Daffodils Salute Hawaii;" this float used thousands of daffodils on the catamaran and boathouse to create a happy, tropical atmosphere. It was awarded first prize in the Clubs & Organizations Division. (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);

50 uniformed members of the Lincoln High School band strut their stuff accompanied by a drum major, baton twirler and cheerleaders during the 1961 Daffodil Parade. Spectators are thickly clustered on both sides of the 900 block of Pacific Avenue. Temperatures were in the chilly 50's but did not dampen the crowd's and participants' high spirits. The theme of the 28th annual parade was "Wonders of the World." (TNT 4-8-61, p. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1961 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Marching bands; Drum majors--Tacoma; Baton twirling--Tacoma;

1967 Daffodil Parade. The "stream" of "hot coffee" does not seem to soil the white ballroom gown of Susan Bona, the 1966 Daffodil Queen, as she stands in the daffodil coffee cup waving to the large crowds lining Pacific Avenue during the 1967 Daffodil parade. The Coffee House Roasters float #21, cleverly named the "Queen's Coffee Break," was also accompanied by three elves. Miss Bona is currently a freshman at the University of Puget Sound. Photograph ordered by Coffee House Roasters.

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

ca. 1950. This Cammarano Brothers daffodil-covered float was waiting at 23rd & Dock St. either before or after the annual Daffodil Festival floral parade circa 1950. A Double Cola bottle is at one end of the float with a well on the other. The Cammarano Brothers were longtime bottlers and distributors of beer and carbonated beverages. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10416

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Daffodils--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Manning's Coffee supplied one of the most elaborate flower covered "floats" in the first annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade held on March 17, 1934. Still recovering from the Great Depression, most clubs and businesses were unable to contribute in a big way; decorated cars, busses, bicycles and horses were more common then traditional floats. Manning's Inc., located at 1102 Commerce, specialized in coffee; they also had a market at the same location and a restaurant at 258 So. 11th.

A young rider, dressed in chaps and a flower decorated hat, posed on a daffodil festooned horse ready to ride in the first annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade on March 17, 1934. The main viewing area was 11th & Pacific, where the parade passed with daffodil bedecked autos, busses, bicycles, carts and horses, as well as marching bands and drill teams. Still reeling from the Great Depression, business and club entries in the first parade were modest when compared to later years.

This float in the 1936 Daffodil parade carries the K Street emblem mounted on an axis and describing the K Street business sector as the "Hub of Activity." The float is offered by the K Street Business Mens' Association The floral tribute is built on the bed of a large truck. (T. Times 4/20/1936, pg. 3)

This Standard Oil truck is all decked out in flowers for a drive in the 1936 Daffodil Parade. It has even sprouted two giant daffodils on top like horns. The large fuel truck is covered with flowers and draped grasses.

ca. 1935. The Rotary Club, almost always represented in the Daffodil Parade, entered this flower covered car in one of the early parades, most likely 1935. The automobile has so many flowers that even the wheels are covered with their own bouquets.

Two young girls with bouquets of daffodils ride atop the Rotary Club of Tacoma's float in the 1940 Daffodil Parade. The focus point of the Rotary Club float is the gigantic globe, with the continents marked out with daffodils. The floats are lined up in a staging area prior to the parade. See Series D9587 image 19 for a Richards Studio photograph taken at almost the same exact time. TPL-2941

Sumner's entry in the 1940 Daffodil Parade was this floral cross section of a daffodil. Each daffodil petal is occupied by a girl. The girls wear white dresses. The float appears to be lined up in a staging area. One can only wonder if there were also five girls on the other side of the float, or if this float could only be fully appreciated from one side. The Tacoma Times calls the float a giant paddle wheel, a-la a Mississippi riverboat, with a girl in each paddle. See D9587 image 4 for another view of the float. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1)

Stock footage of the 1964 Daffodil Parade. Peering from all nooks and crannies are spectators, young and old, who are watching the 31st annual Daffodil Parade. The object of their fascination is the non-competitive Queen's float bearing Puyallup High School senior Karen Goettling and four of her princesses: Janet Wendorf, Sandra Sutherland, Carol Samuelson and Shari Berntsen. The 46' float "Americana" was designed by Bill Knabel and decorated by 85 City Light employees and their families the night before the parade. Each year millions of daffodils would be used in celebration of the day. The Queen's float alone bore 44,000 yellow and 6,000 white daffodils. (TNT 4-12-64, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1964 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Goettling, Karen Jane; Wendorf, Janet; Sutherland, Sandra; Samuelson, Carol; Berntsen, Shari; Daffodils--Tacoma;

Stock footage of the April 11, 1964, Daffodil Parade. Parade watching is still a pleasant Tacoma pastime as these folks are gathered to view the 31st annual Daffodil Parade as it proceeds through downtown Tacoma. The American flag, positioned at the front of the above float, flaps briskly in the wind. The start of the parade saw temperatures of 42 degrees and blustery, cloudy weather. By noon, the clouds had parted and April sunshine had appeared. Several women and children are dressed in clothing of their native lands, including Philippines, Japan, Switzerland, and other European countries, in compliance with the parade's theme, "Nations on Parade." A large ball, probably signifying the Earth, is constructed from flowers and readily seen on a slight ramp.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1964 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades); Flags--United States;

With cheerful waves, St. Regis Paper Co.'s entry in the 1964 Daffodil parade slowly passes through the downtown streets of Tacoma during the 31st annual event. Billowing tapestry and flowered canopies and fountains decorated this beautiful float. St. Regis, for the second year in a row, won the Sweepstakes Award. The float, "Kismet," with 70,000 daffodils on board, was built by company employees. It featured the harems of ancient India with a large dome, chiffon curtains, and stately attendants. An elaborate peacock tail constructed of wrought iron was at the front of the 55' float. Photograph ordered by St. Regis Paper Co. (TNT 4-11-64, p. 1, TNT 4-12-64, A-9)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1964 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1960-1970;

Stock footage of Daffodil Parade. A rearing horse, "Black Beauty," draws the attention of spectators in front of the Washington Building on April 10, 1965, at the 32nd annual Daffodil Parade. Three cowgirls wave to the crowds on both sides of Pacific Ave. near 11th St. while a fourth, seated before a giant garland-covered horseshoe, also acknowledges the appreciative throngs. The theme of the parade was "Masterpieces." It was televised live on two stations, KTNT and KIRO. Thousands in person and at home viewed the 29 floats, 20 bands, 14 drill teams, five drum & bugle corps and seven mounted units. (TNT 4-9-65, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1965 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Horses--Tacoma--1960-1970; Horseshoes; Washington Building (Tacoma);

1967 Daffodil Parade. The whimsical "Fun in Cartoons" entry from the Sumner community brought smiles to the spectators of the 1967 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Parade. Gallant Snoopy leads the way atop his little doghouse at the foreground of the pink-and-gold themed float with Bugs Bunny standing guard. The 43-foot float was decorated with 55,000 daffodils plus orchids, gladioli and carnations. (TNT 4-9-67, A-8)

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

1968 Richards stock footage of Daffodil Festival. Puget Power's entry, #15, in the 35th annual Daffodil Festival meanders down Pacific Avenue nearing the Peoples department store on April 6, 1968. The charming Asian setting with "Madam Butterfly" seated in the rear won Puget Power second place in the commercial group. Theme of the parade was "Tales & Legends." (TNT 4-7-68, B-1)

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

1968 Richards stock footage of Daffodil Festival. It appears that these leprechauns are basking in a sea of gold in this entry from the Orting Community. One lucky lady has followed the rainbow to a stash of golden coins. An enormous shamrock serves as a backdrop to the float; it is possible that it was composed of dyed green daffodils. Orting's "Leprechauns" was entry #9 in the 35th annual Daffodil Festival parade. (TNT 4-7-68, B-1)

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

1968 Richards stock footage of Daffodil Festival. A rather meek dragon sticks out his tongue, seemingly unaware of the lovely four maidens at the castle gates behind him. Float #3 from the Pierce County Senior 4-H was entitled "Days of Old," reflecting the 1968 Daffodil Festival theme of "Tales & Legends." It was one of 26 floats entered in the 35th annual parade, and won the coveted Grand Award. (TNT 4-6-68, p. 1, 4-7-68, B-1)

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

1968 Stock footage of Daffodil Festival parade. Over 20,000 golden daffodils befitting the aptly named "Golden Tales of Beauty" decorated the 1968 Princess float created by the City of Puyallup's Puyallup Junior Woman's Club. Princesses Inese Verzemnieks, Mardel Johnson, Judy Ehlers and Jennifer Anderson gracefully acknowledged the crowds lined up along Pacific Avenue on April 6, 1968. They were escorted by yellow-jacketed parade officials. (TNT 4-6-68, p. 1-2)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1968 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Daffodils--Tacoma; Verzemnieks, Inese; Johnson, Mardel; Ehlers, Judy; Anderson, Jennifer;

Royal Court, 1960 Daffodil Parade. Five Daffodil princesses sit on giant hibiscus blossoms amidst 25,000 daffodils and wave to the large crowds lining up on Pacific Avenue at the Greyhound station on April 9, 1960. The large star on the Puyallup community's float commemorates the entry of Hawaii as the 50th state. "Daffodils Salute Hawaii" had been chosen as the festival theme and the festival welcomed Hawaii's Lt. Gov. James K. Keahola as the parade's grand marshal. The Fife Trojan marching band and majorettes follow the royal court which consisted of Peggy Root of Puyallup, Sharon McCoy and Margaret Dudley of Sumner, Madeline Shouse of Orting and Martha Barringer from Stadium High School. The two-hour parade in Tacoma featured 31 floats, 28 bands, 30 drill teams, eight decorated cars, six mounted units and two drum & bugle corps. (TNT 4-9-60, p. 1, 4-10-60, B-8)

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