Float for Tacoma Public Utilities with Daffodil Queen and other participants at the 1956 Daffodil Parade. A Macy's building with a Coca-Cola painted sign can be seen in the background along with a crowd on the roof of The Music Shop and a Jeweler with an obscured name.
This float, apparently entitled "Daffodil Daze," was decorated with three giant daffodils and a multitude of blossoms. Standing on the float is believed to be 1972 Daffodil Festival Queen, Paula Achziger. The parade itself has not been identified; it possibly could be the Seafair Parade which was held in late July of 1972.
The 16th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival began with the coronation of the 1949 Daffodil Queen, and included activities such as flower shows, parades, yacht racing and ski races. Spectators are several feet deep while viewing the Young Men Business Club daffodil float which advertised the club's 25th anniversary. This float received 3rd prize in the service clubs float category (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
View of lovely float completely covered in dazzling daffodils; "Parkland Grows" is posted on side. Parade float princesses are helping bring awareness and publicity to the Parkland area of Tacoma; many new businesses have opened during the past year in Parkland (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6). TPL-9965
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
Commercial businesses, organizations and lodges, and service clubs entered their floats in the 1949 Daffodil Festival parade, in hopes of winning first place or an honorable mention. View of the Lions Club float featuring "Little Tyke," a live African lioness, accompanied by three children; the Lions were awarded first place in the organizations and lodges category (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma); Little Tyke (Lion);
The Daffodil Festival had three days of activities planned for this year's celebration. Governor Langie would be crowning the 1949 Daffodil Queen, Mary Jane Gropper from Puyallup. View of the Pierce County Sheriff's Posse, a horse cart is being pulled by a daffodil decorated automobile (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Horses--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
The 16th annual daffodil parade had thirteen bands scheduled to perform from various schools throughout Western Washington. The spectators would also enjoy various daffodil covered floats. View of Carstens Packing Company's parade float entry; it appears to be some type of daffodil covered "Northwest Favorites" meat product (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
View of float with unidentified float princess waving to the parade spectators; this float is advertising the daffodil and flower show at College of Puget Sound's new gymnasium, Memorial Fieldhouse; a replica of the newly built gymnasium is constructed out of daffodils and flowers (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
This year's Daffodil Festival was being called "the most successful of all daffodil celebrations". View of the United States Indian Hospital float, they received 2nd place for their float; the daffodil creation features hospital staff, an indian chief and a teepee. This float was made possible by employee contributions (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
The 16th Annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival was one of the best ever; the weather was about 71 degrees, making it one of the warmest daffodil weekends ever. View of the Puyallup Elks Club float; they were awarded top honors among the lodges category. The float queen's extra long train is being carried by the little daffodil princesses (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
View of the Tacoma City Light daffodil float; this float carried the Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival royalty through the downtown streets of Tacoma on April 9, 1949. Daffodil Queen Mary Jean Gropper is seated in center, her two attendants/princesses are seated below her, Frances Denzler and Marcia Keefe (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma); Gropper, Mary Jean;
The 16th Annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade would begin on South 17th Street and Broadway and end on South 7th Street and Pacific Avenue. View of the Lions Club float featuring "Little Tyke", a live African lioness and three children; the Lions were awarded first place in the organizations and lodges category (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma); Little Tyke (Lion);
More than 100,000 people in Tacoma attended the 1949 Daffodil Parade and watched the wonderful floats parade along Broadway and Pacific Avenue. View of daffodil-covered float advertising "United Tacoma Days" shopping values and bargains galore on May 19, 20 and 21. This float was sponsored by the Tacoma Retail Trade Bank (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
View of the Saint Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company's parade float moving along Pacific Avenue; this float features "The Timber Beast" and had actual smoke coming out of its nostrils. St. Paul and Tacoma was named the Parade's Sweepstakes Winner (T.N.T., 4/10/49, p. 1, 12 & B-6).
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma);
Daffodil Queen and Princesses, Times, Sandy. Marcia Keefe, 16-year-old junior from Lincoln High School, was chosen to be one of the two princesses of the Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival for 1949. She is pictured above, carrying a large bouquet of daffodils, with the other 22 Lincoln contestants whose names are listed in a News Tribune article dated February 13, 1949. Marcia, the daughter of the R.E. Keefes of 1676 So. 40th St., saw nursing in her future after completing her education. Mary Jean Gropper of Puyallup was selected as queen of the festival. (TNT, 2/13/1949, p.1 & A-8; T.Times 2-13-1949, p. 1-alt. photograph; TNT 2-13-1949, A-8-alt. photograph)
Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1949 : Tacoma); Keefe, Marcia; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;
The Tacoma Outboard Association displayed some humor with this action loaded float in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The motorboat named Wha' Hoppin' pulled three water skiers on a daffodil formed sea. Spectators stand 4-5 deep on the sidewalk and in all store front windows to watch the parade. More than 100,000 viewed the parade in Tacoma. TPL-5485
Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Outboard Association (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Spectators--Tacoma;
The Country House Restaurant, Pacific Ave. near 147th, sponsored this decorated car in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. A long legged American beauty rode as a hood ornament, while costumed tap dancers danced along the side as the floor show. For parade performers, the parade was an all day affair. There was an early line up in Tacoma where the parade route took approximately two hours to complete, then everyone was loaded in buses to go to Puyallup and Sumner and repeat the process again.
Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960;
This floral tribute to Holland and the windmill won the Sweepstakes Award in the 1950 Daffodil parade for the Associated General Contractors. The contracting group were newcomers to the parade, winning the award with their first ever entry. The group's officers line up behind their float and the Dutch costumed young ladies on the float smile despite the morning chill.
Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Associated General Contractors, Tacoma Chapter (Tacoma);
This "bee-powered" daffodil carriage adorned with smiling court members in front of 1748 Jefferson Ave, was the second place winner in the class 4 commercial group of the 1950 Daffodil parade. The entry was sponsored by Busch's Drive In restaurant at 3505 South Tacoma Way. More than 800,000 daffodils plus assorted other spring flowers were used in the parade. Spectators arrived as early as 8a.m. to line the parade route and were advised to use mass transportation and car pools to avoid traffic jams. TPL-9544
Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buschs Drive In (Tacoma);
The 1950 Daffodil parade heralded the arrival of Spring and the coming of the Easter holidays, as evidenced by the bunny float entered by the Orting Lions Club. This float was 3rd place winner in class 2 service club entrants.The driver's head can be seen out the side of the bunny. Parade floats had to cut their demand for daffodils by one half when cold weather stopped many of the yellow blossoms from opening in time for the parade.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Lions Club (Orting);
This flower bedecked tribute to the new Narrows Bridge, which was under construction, was the 3rd place commercial entry award winning float, sponsored by Rhodes Brothers department store. The float boasted that now even "more roads will lead to Rhodes." The float had miniature cars crossing the span over a floral Puget Sound. Rhodes was Tacoma's largest department store and was located in downtown Tacoma on Broadway.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);
First place winner of the 1950 Daffodil parade class 2 service club entrants was this float by the Young Mens Business Club. Daffodil court members rode atop this sweetheart float decorated with daffodils and tulips. The 1950 parade was the largest ever with 125 units- 70 floats, 18 bands, and 26 marching organizations plus comic groups, mounted drill teams, and decorated automobiles.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Thousands thronged the streets to view the 1950 Daffodil Parade which featured 70 floats including this one from the Carstens Packing Company. Two chefs are seen "cooking" giant bacon. The parade was over two hours long and not even a short burst of morning rain dampened the parade watchers' enthusiasm.
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);
The College of Puget Sound's entrant in the 1950 Daffodil Parade was a floral shoe surrounded by students, a reference to the "little old lady who lived in a shoe" nursery rhyme. The float emphasized "build with CPS" as the student body outgrew their campus and the College entered into a period of capital expansion. One student played a bass from the window of the shoe providing music as well. Prime viewing space for the parade belonged to owners and employees of the closed stores along Pacific Ave. who watched the parade from inside the storefront windows, avoiding the often inclement Northwest weather. Other prime viewing areas were the tops of buildings and fire escapes.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1950-1960;
The Tigerannas drill team, from Stadium High School in Tacoma, marches sharply down Pacific Avenue during the 1950 Daffodil Parade, despite the umbrellas held up by spectators to ward off spring showers. The 1950 parade was the largest ever, with 125 units- 70 floats, 18 bands, 26 marching organizations and several comic units, mounted groups and decorated automobiles. The parade in Tacoma was well attended by over 100,000, braving cold winds and scattered showers to cheer the parade on.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Drill Teams;
Children drive this daffodil "carriage" down Pacific Ave. in the 1950 Daffodil Parade, holding onto streamers attached to an giant ornamental bag of flour labelled with the float's sponsor Centennial Flouring Mills Company. Early invitations went out to area businesses and organizations from the Board of Directors of the Daffodil Festival asking them to sponsor floats in the parade. The parade itself had a very small budget and relied on donations, contributions and volunteer workers.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial Flouring Mills Co. (Tacoma);
This daffodil bedecked automobile was sponsored by the Honolulu Conservatory of Music, at 617 No. 2nd. This popular studio owned by F. J. Piper taught the music of the islands to willing students and performed throughout the area. The Conservatory's specialty was musical instruction on accordion and guitar. Young students in native costume and leis perform from the decorated trailer as it proceeds down Pacific Ave. pulled by the automobile.
Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Honolulu Conservatory of Music (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);
