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;

Pauline Martin, age 18, born in a Montana log cabin, sits on stage with bouquets of daffodils after being named 1941 Daffodil Queen during pageant at Sumner High School. (T. Times, 3/1/1941, p.1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1941 : Sumner); Martin, Pauline;

The 1946 Daffodil Parade proved to be a great success and lived up to its pre-war standard of excellence. View of parade entries, possibly the Veterans of Foreign Wars marching through South Meridian Street in Puyallup. Crowds of people are gathered on both sides of street to watch the Daffodil Parade. TPL-833

Daffodils--Puyallup; Parades & processions--Puyallup; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Puyallup);

Puyallup Girl Scouts proudly march down the street following their float in the 10th annual Daffodil Parade, held on March 30, 1946 in Puyallup. The Daffodil Planning Committee was not going to have a parade, due to a post war shortage of trucks and decorators, until the Puyallup Chamber of Commerce stepped in and put together the first parade in three years. The first post World War II parade was a great success. TPL-8694 (TNT 3/31/1946, pg. 1)

Daffodils--Puyallup; Parades & processions--Puyallup; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Puyallup); Floats (Parades)--Puyallup; Girl Scouts (Puyallup);

Thirty thousand spectators, three times the population of Puyallup, were estimated to have attended the 1946 Daffodil parade on March 30, 1946 in that city. The first post war Daffodil parade was 90 minutes long. On of the first groups to pass was Governor Mon C. Wallgren sitting on the back of a convertible. Young uniformed guards march on either side of the vehicle. Parade spectators line both side of Meridian Street in Puyallup. (TNT 3/31/1946, pg. 1)

Daffodils--Puyallup; Parades & processions--Puyallup; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Puyallup); Floats (Parades)--Puyallup; Wallgren, Mon C., 1891-1961;

Gloria Dinwiddie of Sumner, Queen of the 1946 Daffodil Festival, was photographed preparing for her coronation on March 29, 1946. Helping her with her crown of golden daffodils were her attendants, Patricia McPherson (far right) of Tacoma and Maxine Barth of Puyallup. The coronation ceremony took place in Sumner. The three day Daffodil Festival began with the coronation and would end with the annual sailboat races. TPL-10152

Daffodils--Sumner; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Sumner); Dinwiddie, Gloria--Coronations; McPherson, Patricia; Barth, Maxine; Crowns;

Mayor Harry P. Cain crowns Gloria Dinwiddie of Sumner, Queen of the 1946 Daffodil Festival, with a crown made of golden daffodils. Attendants Patricia McPherson of Tacoma, right, and Maxine Barth of Puyallup look on. The little crown bearer is Caryn Chervenka, age 4. The coronation took place at Guill Hall in Sumner. The three day event began with the coronation and would end with the annual sailboat races. ALBUM 13.

Daffodils--Sumner; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Sumner); Dinwiddie, Gloria; Crowns; McPherson, Patricia; Barth, Maxine; Chervenka, Caryn; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The 1946 Daffodil Queen Gloria Dinwiddie (center) stands, with her attendants Patricia MacPherson, left, and Maxine Barth, on a daffodil covered platform that was built in front of the Tacoma totem pole. The 1946 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival was the first to be held since 1942. The Daffodil committee originally did not plan to have a parade in 1946 because of a shortage of decorators and truck chassis. The Puyallup Chamber of Commerce stepped in to sponsor the parade, and managed to organize a top rate show in just a few short weeks. Although the court was presented to the people of Tacoma on this totem pole stage, the parade was only held in Puyallup along Meridian. (TNT 3/31/1946, pg. 1)

Daffodils--Tacoma; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1946 : Tacoma); Totem poles; Stages (Platforms);

A carriage pulled by twin butterflies is the Rhodes Bro. Department Store entry in the 1952 Daffodil Parade and winner of first place in the commercial division. More than one million sunshine yellow blossoms were used to decorate the 70 floats, many of them carrying out the 1952 "King Alfred" theme. The weather dawned warm and sunny, swelling Tacoma parade crowds to over 200,000. (TNT 4/6/1952, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1952 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

A float sponsored by Buck & Sons, Tractor & Implement Co., in the 1952 Daffodil Parade crosses down Pacific Ave. in front of the closed Riviera movie theatre. Two young women clad in shorts stand behind rototillers on this Daffodil covered float pulled by a tractor. Three young men perch on the narrow awning of the Riviera marquee to view the parade. Small children sit on the curb at the front of the crowd to watch the spectacle. The crowd estimated at 200,000, the largest in parade history, waited patiently for the parade which began 1/2 hour after scheduled start time.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1952 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Co. (Tacoma);

The annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade was a great success. With more than sixty entries in the Tacoma parade, the judges had a hard time selecting which ones should be sweepstakes winners. An estimated 600,000 daffodils were used on parade floats. View of the Titus Ford float, decorated by Fisk Flag and Decorating Company, four people ride in a daffodil covered Ford (T.N.T., 3/30/47, p. 1).

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1947 : Tacoma); Daffodils--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Fisk Flag & Decorating Co. (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Daffodil Parade, Times. The Junior Chamber of Commerce reminded the crowd that it will require research and education to "Fight to Conquer Cancer".

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1948 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Daffodils--Tacoma; Tacoma Junior Chamber of Commerce (Tacoma); Cancer--Tacoma;

Carsten's float turns the corner from Broadway to 9th St. in the 1950 Daffodil parade. The parade route in Tacoma started from the line up area on 17th to Broadway, turned on 9th and continued down Pacific back to 17th. Crowds are in places ten people deep to watch the parade, with some standing on ladders for a better view. The best viewpoint belongs to those watching from the upper windows and the fire escape. A large group of people watch the parade from the top of Rhodes department store. To the right of the picture stands the Junior Chamber of Commerce's "Safety First" sign, noting the number of deathless days in Tacoma traffic.

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

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);

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);