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);

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;

The Queen's float, created by the Department of Public Utilities, was traditionally the first float in the parade and the 1961 Daffodil Parade was no exception. Accompanied by parade marshals, the Daffodil Queen, 17-year-old Carmel Mackin of Puyallup High School, and her six attendants wave gracefully to the spectators lined deep on Pacific Avenue. Sixty thousand daffodils were used on the float which included a spurting fountain. Temperatures in the chilly 50's and gusty winds did not dissuade thousands of parade goers from watching the 28th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Parade. (TNT 4-8-61, p. 1, TNT 4-9-61, p. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1961 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; Mackin, Carmel;

Marching proudly past the Greyhound station at 1319 Pacific Avenue are a 25-piece band and separate drill team during the 1961 Daffodil Parade. These young men may have been part of a local R.O.T.C. unit. Spectators by the thousands had lined the streets of downtown Tacoma to view the annual parade. The 28th annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Parade featured 31 floats, 25 bands and 37 drill teams among other entrants. The gray, overcast skies and temperatures in the 50's did not seem to hamper either parade participants or watchers. (TNT 4-8-61, p. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1961 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Marching bands; Drill teams;

St. Regis Paper Co. float in 1962 Daffodil Parade. Four ladies in elegant evening gowns wave to the throngs gathered to watch the 29th annual Daffodil Parade as it slowly travels through the streets of downtown Tacoma. The St. Regis float, bedecked with 40,000 daffodils, is passing the 900 block of Pacific Avenue as this photograph was snapped. Entitled "Universe of Science," the float depicted the five science pavilion towers at the (Seattle) World's Fair, a large reflection pool and three live fountains. It was one of 30 floats that saluted the upcoming Century 21 Exposition and captured second place in the parade's commercial division. Photograph ordered by St. Regis Paper Co. (TNT 4-7-62, p. 1, 4-8-62, B-9)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1962 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1960-1970; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1960-1970;

Perenniel participants in the annual Daffodil parades were the Pierce County Sheriff's Mounted Posse. They are photographed on April 6, 1963, during the 30th annual Daffodil parade as they pass by the Greyhound station on 13th & Pacific Avenue. The second rider in line lofts the department's flag in one hand. The Mounted Posse took second place in the mounted units division. 34 bands, 37 drill teams, 13 mounted units and 27 floats took part in the parade.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1963 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Horses--Tacoma--1960-1970; Horseback riding--Tacoma--1960-1970; Mounted police--Tacoma; Standards (Identifying artifacts); Flags--United States;

The Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau's 1957 Daffodil Parade float entitled "Symphony" featured a king-sized violin with a lyre. Margaret Strachan, the 1956 Daffodil queen, graciously waves to the parade watchers as the float passes on Pacific Avenue near 11th St. United Savings Bank and the Perkins Bldg. are in the background. 32,000 daffodils were employed on this float, which won first place in the Retail division. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau. (TNT 4-14-57, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1957 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau (Tacoma); Strachan, Margaret;

Can-can girls strut to the tunes of Dixieland as they march alongside the entry from Steve's Cafe (better known as Steve's Gay '90s) in the 1957 Daffodil Parade. Daffodils cover the front and sides of the genuine San Francisco cable car. Women and children, possibly members of the owners' families, peer out of the slowly moving unit as the band plays on. Photograph ordered by Steve's.

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1957 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cable railroads--Tacoma; Steve's Gay '90s (Tacoma);

Entry #49 in the 1957 Daffodil Parade was the charming "Hi Diddle Diddle" float sponsored by the Independent Order of Foresters. A cat fiddles merrily away as a cow attempts to jump over the crescent moon. The dog has his mouth open in a wide smile while the dish extends its arms to an unseen spoon. This float took 2nd place for the Nursery Rhyme Division. Photograph ordered by the Independent Order of Foresters. (TNT 4-14-57, B-8)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1957 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Independent Order of Foresters 327 (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Peter Cottontail and pals wave to spectators as the Shop Rite Food Centers prize-winning float continues on its Daffodil Parade route on April 13, 1957. A 7 foot Peter is seated before an enormous yellow daffodil; his assistants, dressed in bunny outfits, are perched in flower shells. Judy Roetker, in flowing evening gown, sits among the field of daffodils. "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" was given the Sweepstakes Parade Award at the 24th annual Daffodil Parade. The float was the biggest allowed under parade rules at 39 feet long, 16 feet wide and 14 feet tall. 60,000 daffodils and 6,000 Esther Reed daisies graced the enormous float. Photograph ordered by West Coast Grocery Co. (TNT 4-13-57, A-1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1957 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Shop Rite Food Centers (Tacoma); West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma);

1919 Labor Day parade. Five uniformed motorcycle policemen lead the 1919 Labor Day parade down Pacific Avenue before waiting crowds. Grand marshal of the parade, Charles Richmond, secretary of the Building Trades Council, rode on horseback. Bands and marching units follow. Streetcars move along adjacent to the parade activity. Businesses along this stretch of Pacific were thickly bundled together including banks, hotels, dentists, and drugstores. G38.1-019

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Business districts--Tacoma--1910-1920; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920;

More than 6,000 Tacoma union men took part in the Labor Day Parade down Pacific Ave. in September of 1919. The parade of Tacoma organized labor through downtown began at the City Hall, 625 Commerce, and proceeded south on Pacific Ave. Charles Richmond, a labor leader, led the parade as marshall mounted on a horse; he was followed by the Railway Brotherhood, policemen and firemen. Next came this float from the Teamsters, an old-time coach mounted on a horse drawn wagon. It was decorated with a banner reading, "Does the man who delivers your goods belong to the Teamsters Chauffeurs Union #313." Union 313 consisted of Tacoma drivers from many industries. Many union members followed the float carrying American flags. One of the goals of the Labor Day celebration was to reach the $30,000 goal set for the Labor Temple building fund. Labor Temple buttons were being sold to raise the funds. (T. Times 9/1/1919, pg. 1) G38.1-018 TPL-10094

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Labor unions; International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 313 (Tacoma); Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1910-1920;

The Federated Improvement Clubs were "United for a Bigger and Better Tacoma" according to their entry in the 1925 Fourth of July parade. These clubs sought to not only improve their own neighborhoods but to boost the city as a whole. Clubs included the Union & 6th Ave. Club, Clement Ave. Club, Portland Ave. Club, and others throughout the city. Their vehicle, accompanied by a large wheel listing 32 clubs, was parked outside the Tacoma Hotel Annex.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Federated Improvement Clubs (Tacoma);

Soldiers from the 148th Field Artillery, Fort Lewis on horseback in the 1931 Tacoma 4th of July Parade. The parade is heading south on Pacific Ave. Stores and shops on the west side of Pacific in the 1100 block can be seen in the background. TPL-7091

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Soldiers--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Billye Fairchild, Frankie Cowan and Betty Brumbaugh pose in flowered spring gowns and picture hats in a field of yellow daffodils advertising the first Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival in March of 1934. The brainchild of Tacoman Lee Merrill, the first Festival had a tight budget of $600 and not many supporters. The parade, then called the procession, took place on March 17,1934. It began at Union Station and wound its way through downtown Tacoma, followed by Puyallup, Sumner & Orting. Area businesses and clubs, still recovering from the Great Depression, contributed decorated horses, bicycles, busses, autos and a few floats plus marching bands and drill units. The Queen, Elizabeth Lee Wooten, was selected a few days prior to the Festival as she walked down a city street in Puyallup. TPL-3148

Betty Brumbaugh poses with the air of a model for this promotional photograph for the first annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival in March of 1934. Betty is most probably Elizabeth Brumbaugh, listed in the 1934 City Directory as a saleswoman at the Peoples Store and residing at 424 No. Yakima. Elizabeth was the daughter of Rev. Roy T. Brumbaugh, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. She later married Norman Donaghue and moved out of the state.

A child rode in the large wicker basket atop a flower bedecked automobile in the first Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade in March of 1934. The early Daffodil Festival parades were held in late March at a time when the golden daffodils were blooming profusely. This float was sponsored by Mannings Inc., a tea and coffee dealer. Few entries in that first parade were as lavish as this one. Awards were given in eight categories in 1934: best pony, best horse, best bicycle, best Valley Exhibit Car, best Garden Club float, best service club float and best commercial division float. Mannings took the best commercial float honors for their beautifully decorated entry. (T.Times 3-19-34, p. 1-article; p. 5-alternate photograph)

Tacoma loves a good parade and Labor Day of 1934 was no exception. The Chamber of Commerce float bears Miss Tacoma, Queen of the Labor Day festivities and the Seattle Potlatch, Roberta Cohoon, down the parade route. She is attended by Margie Christen, left, and Eleanor Layton. The parade preceded the dedication ceremony for the relocated and restored Fort Nisqually. (TDL 9/4/1934, pg. 1)

Weda Claire Dykeman smiles from inside a daffodil during the 1936 Daffodil Parade. Weda Claire is the daughter of Doug Dykeman. (T. Times 4/20/1936, pg. 3)