ca. 1925. A number of men in costumes and makeup suggesting clowns pose on a truck and one or two automobiles that have been decorated as floats. Over it all is suspended a giant straw hat on a pole. The floats are possibly part of the Straw Hat Day celebrations, the day when gentlemen officially put away their winter hats in favor of straw summer hats. The group is posed in front of a billboard. (WSHS- negative a846-0)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1920-1930; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1920-1930; Celebrations--Tacoma; Straw Hat Day (Tacoma); Hats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Fairyland and Christmas Parade for children, November 29, 1935. Stadium High School's Marching band on Broadway in front of the Elks' Temple, 565 Broadway. Union Club of Tacoma, 539 Broadway, in the background. The Stadium marching band led the third quadrant of the parade, followed by the Humpty Dumpty float, the Old Lady who lived in a shoe and clowns and the paraders wearing grotesque heads. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marching bands; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Elks Temple (Tacoma);

Fairyland and Christmas parade, November 29, 1935. Marching band in front of the Elks' Temple on Broadway. Three marching bands were scheduled in the parade, the Musicians' Union band, Stadium High School and Lincoln High School. This is most probably the Musicians' Union Band that was scheduled to start off the parade, accompanying Santa Claus. The Mother Goose float can be seen behind the band, followed by another marching band. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marching bands; Elks Temple (Tacoma);

Fairyland and Christmas parade for children, November 29, 1935. Marching band at corner of 9th and Broadway. This large band is unidentified, it is one of three in the parade. The bands hailed from the Musicians' Union, Stadium and Lincoln High Schools. The Bostwick Block can be seen at the right, the Bostwick Hotel on the upper floors with the "Credit Dentist" Walter Whetstone below. On the left hand side is the Caswell Optical Co., followed by the Medical Arts Building. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marching bands;

Riding in a white, toy filled sleigh pulled by two snow white reindeer, Santa Claus rode on the first float in the second annual Fairyland and Christmas Parade, November 29, 1935. Sponsored by merchants on Broadway and Pacific Avenues, the parade took place the day after Thanksgiving and kicked off the Christmas shopping season in Tacoma. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Reindeer;

The Tacoma merchants on Broadway and Pacific Avenues sponsored the second annual Fairyland and Christmas Parade for Children which was held on the day after Thanksgiving, 1935. The first float in the parade carried Santa in a well packed sleigh pulled by two snow white reindeer. Starting near the Elks Temple at 565 South Broadway, the parade traveled down Broadway, turned east at South 13th Street and then proceeded north on Pacific. The parade signalled the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Reindeer; Elks Temple (Tacoma);

Fairyland and Christmas parade for children, November 29, 1935. A tall figure on a float moving along the street in front of Brandes-Madsen Co. and the Broadway Service Mobilgas station. This float depicts the giant that Jack killed in Jack and the Bean Stalk. All the floats were peopled with characters from Fairy Tales. Thousands of Tacoma youngsters turned out to wave to their favorite imaginary character. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brandes-Madsen Co. (Tacoma);

The second annual Fairyland and Christmas Parade, November 29, 1935. Float with Santa in sleigh pulled by pure white reindeer in front of Brandes-Madsen Co. on Broadway. Santa will be preceded by two boys carrying a sign proclaiming "Santa from the North Pole." Santa's float is flanked by dancing letter blocks that spell TOYS. Following Santa is the float with the Three Wise Men on camels. The parade took place on the day after Thanksgiving on a route that covered Broadway and Pacific Ave. from 7th - 13th streets. The parade signalled the beginning of Christmas toy shopping season. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brandes-Madsen Co. (Tacoma); Reindeer;

Fairyland and Christmas parade for children, 1935. Clowns and toy blocks standing by the Three Wise Men float on Broadway. Brandes-Madsen Co. building and Broadway Service Station Mobilgas station and Willis-Tacoma Motor Service in background.The dancing blocks spelling "TOYS" followed Santa and proceeded the Three Wise Men on the camels. Some of the favorite characters in the parade were the clowns and the paraders wearing the huge heads. This parade was sponsored by the Broadway and Pacific Ave. merchants and took place the day after Thanksgiving, officially beginning the Christmas shopping season. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brandes-Madsen Co. (Tacoma);

The 1936 Toyland Parade kicks off the day after Thanksgiving in a dense fog. The parade celebrates the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It is made up of 10 elaborate Mother Goose floats, three marching bands and 75 costumed characters, such as these clowns. This is a cropped version of D733 image 3. (Tacoma Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The 1936 Toyland Parade, the second annual parade held the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off in a pea soup Puget Sound fog. Pictured are some of the 75 costumed characters that march along with the parade. These clowns hold a sign stating "clowns from Toyland." The 1936 parade is 1/3 larger than the previous year and attended by thousands of anxious school children and their parents, awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. (T. Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The second annual Tacoma Fairyland and Christmas Parade was held on November 29, 1935. This tall Mother Goose figure with her billowing blue hoop skirt was actually a float. She was so tall that she could nod to the spectators in the second floor windows of the buildings she passed. Several clown characters stand to one side, one wearing a huge "grotesque" head mask. Behind the clowns is a float with Humpty Dumpty and some of the Kings Men. This parade was the kick off for the Christmas toy shopping season. Thousands of bright eyed Tacoma youngsters turned out to see their favorite Fairy Tale characters. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The 1936 Christmas Toyland Parade kicked off in a genuine Puget Sound fog that almost demanded street lights. The Old Lady who lived in a shoe is almost obscured by the dense fog. This float is one of ten elaborate floats inhabited by Mother Goose characters. The parade also included 3 bands- Stadium High School, Lincoln HS and a union band. More that 75 fantastically costumed mannequins with large paper mache heads marched along with the parade. (T. Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The second annual Fairyland and Christmas Parade, November 29, 1935. A large crowd of spectators, including lots of excited children, lines the street at South 9th and Saint Helens Avenue to catch a glimpse of Santa. Caswell Optical Company can be seen in the background. The parade was sponsored by the Broadway and Pacific Avenue merchants the day after Thanksgiving to kick off the Christmas shopping season. The parade route began at 7th and Broadway and proceeded south to 13th Street and north on Pacific to 7th Street. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma);

1935 Fairyland and Christmas Parade. Float carrying Humpty Dumpty and all the Kings Men (soldiers) on Broadway in front of the Elks' Temple. Parade officials run alongside the float. The parade was sponsored by the Broadway and Pacific merchants to kick off the Christmas Shopping season. This was the second annual parade, held the day after Thanksgiving. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Elks Temple (Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On June 5, 1937, over 1,000 Shriners descended on Tacoma for a spring reunion hosted by Tacoma's Afifi Temple. One of the first things that they did was organize a parade. Seven Shriners, including four flag bearers, gather in front of the Winthrop Hotel to wait for the parade to begin. A Shriners marching band is behind them.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Flags; Standards (Identifying artifacts); Flag bearers;

Tacoma Safety Council "Horror Parade," also called the Safety Show parade. Tacoma General Hospital float on the flatbed of a truck. Participants include two nurses and an attendant caring for a man in traction lying on hospital bed. Ice delivery truck and school yard in background. (T. Times 2/26/1937, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Safety Council (Tacoma); Tacoma General Hospital (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Safety Council Safety Show Parade, also called the "Horror Parade." The parade visually showed the effects of careless and reckless driving to the citizens of Tacoma. The Tacoma General Hospital float has two nurses attending a man in traction on the back of a flatbed truck. (T. Times 2/26/1937, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Safety Council (Tacoma); Tacoma General Hospital (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Safety Council's "Horror Parade," also called the Safety Show parade. The parade was intended as a macabre reminder of the fruits of careless and reckless driving. The first prize winner was this wrecked automobile in tow with a person portraying an accident victim laying across seat with a sign saying, "Oh Why ! Didn't I Get My Brakes Repaired Yesterday?" (T. Times 2/26/1937, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Safety Council (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Safety Council "Safety Show Parade", also called the "Horror Parade," wound through the streets of Tacoma on Saturday, February 27, 1937. The float sponsored by the Tacoma General Hospital featured two nurses attending a man in traction on the back of a flatbed truck. This group of children watched the parade from the sidewalk across the street from an unidentified Tacoma school. The parade travelled through the major streets of Tacoma for two hours warning parade viewers about the horrors of reckless driving. Another float in the parade showed a body hanging out of the passenger side of a badly damaged car. (T. Times 2/26/1937, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Safety Council (Tacoma); Tacoma General Hospital (Tacoma);

This group of elaborately costumed Tacomans took part in the annual Toyland Parade on the morning of November 27, 1936 through the streets of downtown Tacoma. The first float in the parade carried Santa Claus in a giant sled pulled by 2 white reindeer. The Toyland Parade was the official opening for the Christmas shopping season. (T. Times 11-28-1936 p.11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Costumes; Masks

In one of its oddest parade turns, the Tacoma Safety Council presented the "Horror Parade," also called the Tacoma Safety Council Safety Show parade. The parade was intended to serve as a tragic reminder for reckless and careless drivers. The first prize winner was this wrecked automobile in tow with a dummy laying across seat. The sign says "Oh Why ! Didn't I Get My Brakes Repaired Yesterday?" Children on bicycles watch the macabre parade which traversed the main streets of Tacoma for two hours. (T. Times 2/26/1937, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Safety Council (Tacoma);

Make way for the Buckingham Apartments version of the 1937 Daffodil Parade! Eight children from the apartment building at 1001 North Yakima Avenue donned costumes and held their own parade on April 8, with dandelions filling in for daffodils. Sharon Lloyd Detlofsen leads off the parade on a tricycle, followed by drum major Roberta Powell, Robert Hagstrom, Queen Marilyn Powell, Delores Detlofsen on her scooter, Press agent Jacqueline Brown, Cowboy Bruce Bowman and clown Roy Howell. Sonny Gange, left on grass, provided what every parade needs, an enthusiastic spectator. (T. Times 4/9/1937, pg. 18-article & alternate photograph)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bowman, Bruce; Detlofsen, Dolores; Detlofsen, Sharon Lloyd; Gange, Sonny; Powell, Marilyn; Brown, Jacqueline; Powell, Marilyn; Howell, Roy; Buckingham Apartments (Tacoma);

Tired of waiting for the official Daffodil Parade, these kids from the Buckingham Apartments,1001 No. Yakima Ave., decided to stage their own parade on April 8th, 1937. Using dandelions to pinch hit for daffodils, the kids, fully costumed and made up, carried a sign stating "See the Daffodil Parade on Saturday." Ready to start their parade are, front row (l to r), bicycle cowboy Bruce Bowman, Dolores Detlofson, Sharon Lloyd Detlofson and Robert Hagstrom. Back row (l to r), Sonny Gange, Queen Marilyn Powell, Parade press agent Jacqueline Brown, Drum Major Roberta Powell, and parade clown Roy Howell. (T. Times 4/9/1937, pg. 18)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bowman, Bruce; Detlofson, Dolores; Detlofson, Sharon Lloyd; Gange, Sonny; Powell, Marilyn; Brown, Jacqueline; Powell, Marilyn; Howell, Roy; Buckingham Apartments (Tacoma);

Youngsters brought favorite dolls, stuffed animals and pets to a children's parade, sponsored by the Retail Merchants' Association, in downtown Bremerton on August 29, 1936. A large group of girls wait patiently in front of Parker Lumber Company for the 1936 event to begin. Over 264 youngsters joined in the parade, showing off a wide variety of dolls and pets of all sizes. (Bremerton Sun 08/31/1936, pg. 1).

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Girls--Bremerton--1930-1940; Toys; Dolls; Pets; Parker Lumber Co. (Bremerton);

Bremerton's children's pet parade, held August 29, 1936. Several children holding dolls and pushing doll carriages walk in the parade past the Shell service station and Parker Lumber Co. The two children in the lead are a boy and girl dressed in Dutch costumes. The streets are lined with spectators of all ages. (Bremerton Sun 08-31-1936, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Girls--Bremerton--1930-1940; Toys; Dolls; Parker Lumber Co. (Bremerton);

On August 29, 1936, the sub teen crowd in Bremerton turned out to participate in the Pet Parade, sponsored by the Retail Merchant's Association. One of the most unusual pets was the pet goat held by Hazel Vosgien, left. Donna Dorene Ames, wearing a hunter's vest with shotgun shells and holding a toy rifle in emulation of the female sharpshooter Annie Oakley, posed with her Irish Setter dog. Over 264 youngsters took part in the fun. (Bremerton Sun 08/31/1936, pg. 1).

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Girls--Bremerton--1930-1940; Pets; Vosgien, Hazel; Ames, Donna Dorene;

On August 29, 1936, Bremerton's Assistant Fire Chief Ernest Yett, left, and Fire Chief S.B. "Skippy" Lent posed with four unidentified girls and their favorite dolls prior to the Bremerton Pet Parade. Over 264 youngsters marched in the parade sponsored by the Retail Merchant's Association. They carried dolls, wore costumes or were accompanied by their pets. Fire Chief Lent would retire in 1936, after 26 years of service with the department; 11 as a volunteer and 16 years as Fire Chief. Assistant Chief Lett was the only man in the city eligible to test for the vacant Chief position. (Bremerton Sun 8/31/1936, pg. 1; 12/12/1936, pg.1 - Lent retirement).

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Girls--Bremerton--1930-1940; Toys; Dolls; Fire fighters--Bremerton--1930-1940; Yett, Ernest; Lent, S.B.;

It was "Westward Ho" at the Bremerton Children's Pet Parade on August 29, 1936. The Richards photographer captured some children re-enacting a pioneer event--westward movement. A boy with a fake white mustache was photographed sitting on a toy horse pulling a girl with a baby doll in a covered wagon. 264 youngsters took part in the parade sponsored by the Retail Merchants' Association. (Bremerton Sun 08/31/1936, pg. 1).

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Children--Bremerton--1930-1940; Toys; Dolls; Children playing adults;

On August 29, 1936, the Retail Merchants' Association of Bremerton, sponsored a Children's Pet Parade. Over 264 children responded to the call, marching with family pets, favorite dolls or dressed as their favorite characters. The youngest entrant was six month old Georgia Gay Scott, gaily smiling in her ruffled bonnet and dress, and seated in a flower-decorated wagon pulled by her dog. Posed beside her is Bill Isbell, #117, scowling slightly at the camera and jauntily attired in a sailor suit, his black and white dog held by a leash. (Bremerton Sun 10-31-1936, pg.1).

Parades & processions--Bremerton; Children--Bremerton--1930-1940; Pets; Scott, Georgia Gay; Isbell, Bill;