Small boys with big axes accompany the Boys Club entry in the 1951 Daffodil Parade. A tractor is pulling a large cart containing a daffodil-covered Blue Ox and his famous associate, Paul Bunyan. Crowds estimated at 100,000 packed the downtown streets of Pacific (shown above) and Broadway for the 18th annual Daffodil Festival Parade. Many families also got a good view of the 1 1/2 hour procession of floats, bands and other marching units, through office building windows including Washington Hardware Co.'s.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1951 : Tacoma); Boys Club (Tacoma); Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

Kappa Sigma fraternity's float "definitely stole the show," according to the News Tribune, during the 1951 Daffodil Parade. The fraternity from the College of Puget Sound provided smiles and laughter with a satire of the City Council and the current problems with vice conditions. "Council members' equipped with pistols waved to the crowd as "Senator Kefauver" shook his broom over their antics. Mayor John Anderson, the "Big John" so noted, joined in the crowd's laughter. (TNT 4-8-51, A-1-article; A-9-alt. photo.)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1951 : Tacoma); Kappa Sigma Fraternity (Tacoma); Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Students--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Honolulu Conservatory of Music's float from the 1951 Daffodil Parade. Two men sit in the front seat. Two young women are seated above the back seat, one holding an accordion and one with a guitar. Large music staves have been added to the front of the car which has been covered with daffodils and outlines of notes.

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1951 : Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Accordions; Guitars;

As shadows edge out into Pacific Avenue, they blend with the marching military units and vehicles during the 1951 Armed Forces Day parade. Everyone has paused, perhaps for the start of the parade. Honor guard is at front, followed by large groups of soldiers and other servicemen.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Armed Forces Day; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Armed Forces Day was created in 1949, a single day set aside for festivities thanking our men in uniform for their duty to our country. During this 1951 Armed Forces Day parade, three units are seen as they prepare to turn from 9th Street onto Pacific Avenue. The Seaforth Highlanders from Vancouver, B.C., Canada's championship pipe and drum band, turn the corner while two military units follow. Vern's Sandwich Shop is seen on the corner.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Soldiers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Scotland--Clothing & dress; Marching bands--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pipes (Musical instruments); Bagpipes;

Armed Forces Day parade marching down Pacific Avenue in May of 1951. Prominent buildings on the left include the Rust Building and (Old) City Hall. Puget Sound National Bank Building is on the right. The Seaforth Highlanders from Vancouver, B.C., (lower center) provide pipe and drum entertainment for the crowds. Besides the various marching military units, jeeps and other vehicles were present.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Armed Forces Day; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching bands--Tacoma--1950-1960; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Rust Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

Military marching in formation during the May, 1951, Armed Forces Day parade. Spectators line the downtown streets to watch examples of America's military might pass by. In 1951, Armed Forces Day was only two years old, having been created in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five military branches.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Armed Forces Day;

The Armed Forces Day parade in downtown Tacoma occurred on May 19, 1951. Sailors with rifles march in formation followed by a group of Army or Air Force men.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sailors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Armed Forces Day;

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;

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 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;

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 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);

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);

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;

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);

Fairyland and Christmas parade for children, the day after Thanksgiving, November 29, 1935. Four clowns ride on a float with the sign " Merry Christmas, Happy New Year." This is possibly the "mechanical clown" float referred to in the news stories. Crowd of spectators stand at 9th and Broadway watching the float pass by. The Bostwick block is on the right with the Medical Arts Building across the street. (T. Times 11/28/1935, pg.1; 11/29/1935, pg.1; 11/30/1935, pg. 9)

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

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, 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;

Entry from the Tacoma Vocational Technical School in the 1952 Daffodil Festival parade. Women with daffodil-shaped bonnets and clothing resembling the leaves and stems of the golden blossoms ride on the float along with a man with a "scarf" of daffodils. The float is parked outside O'Farrell Distributors, wholesale liquor dealers.

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1952 : Tacoma); Tacoma Vocational Technical School (Tacoma);

Seattle's entry in the 1952 Daffodil Festival Parade. Seattle's Seafair Queen rides majestically along on a float with a decidely nautical theme. She is seated in a giant shell adorned with a glittering starfish while fish announce her arrival with a flourish of trumpets.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1952 : Tacoma);

ca. 1952. Float sponsored by the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot for an unidentified parade, possibly May Day or Armed Forces Day, circa 1952. The float is populated by people dressed in costumes of different countries. It features cutouts of tanks and mobile units rolling up to the top of a globe emblazoned with "Unity, Strength, Freedom." The float is hung with red, white & blue bunting. Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot was located approximately 13 miles south of Tacoma between Ft. Lewis, Madigan Army Hospital and McChord Air Force Base. MROD was established in 1942 as a motor base to supply motorized equipment to the Western Defense Command. In addition, it received and repaired all motorized equipment from the Orient and Alaska. It was comprised of 3 warehouses, each more that 1/4 of a mile long, housing 80,000 different items ready for immediate shipment, and two large buildings containing shops and headquarters. It employed approximately 1,600 civilians ( a number that doubled during wartime.) TPL-10389

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot (Tacoma);

A military parade featuring the US Navy, Army and Marine Corps proceeds down the 900 block of Pacific Ave. Banners and flags strung across the street flap in a stiff breeze. Prominent on the right hand side of the picture are the Riviera Theatre at 906 Pacific Ave., Washington Hardware, at 924, and the Rust Building, at 950. This parade was part of Fleet Week, when the people of Tacoma welcomed back the fleet. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines parade down Pacific Ave. The large Navy massed marching band from the flagships is followed by the Marines in procession on Pacific Avenue. The Riviera Theater, Rust Building and other 900 Pacific Avenue block buildings in background. The parade was being held in honor of Fleet Week. The parade route was north on Pacific Ave, from 15th to 9th, up the hill to Broadway and south to 15th. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Marching bands--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marines (Military personnel);

As part of the annual Army-Navy parade this battalion of Marines marched north on Pacific Avenue at 10th Street on Thursday morning, July 30, 1936. Thousands of spectators lined the sidewalks beneath the rows of flags that adorned the downtown streets. For the parade, in honor of Fleet Week, military personnel and motorized equipment were provided by Fort Lewis, as well as the Navy and Marines from nine visiting cruisers at anchor in Commencement Bay. Marching bands came both from Fort Lewis and the flagships. Some 2,000 men thrilled the crowds as an example of the nation's military might. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1-article; T.Times 7-29-36, p. 1-article).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Marines (Military personnel);

Military personnel, provided by Fort Lewis, the US Navy and the Marines, parade down the 900 block of Pacific Ave. for the Fleet Week parade. Two flag bearers march in front, flags whipping in the breeze. The Riviera Theater, Rust Building and other 900 Pacific Avenue block buildings are in background. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Military personnel--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Parade. Marine unit carrying rifles turns West on South 9th Street from Pacific Avenue. They will proceed up the hill to Broadway. Spectators line the street and sidewalks. The parade was being held in honor of Fleet Week. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Marines (Military personnel);

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Parade in Tacoma. A Marine unit stands at attention along a side street in Tacoma. They are in full dress uniform with gloves and rifles. They will soon be marching in the Fleet Week parade with soldiers from Fort Lewis and sailors from the US Navy as Tacoma welcomes back its Fleet. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marines (Military personnel);

1938 Daffodil Festival Parade. Kelley Lake Boy Scout Troop 94 members play campfire songs on guitars and harmonicas while they wait aboard their club float for the parade to begin. (T.Times, 4/2/1938, p.1)

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Boy Scouts of America, Troop 94 (Kelley Lake);