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 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;

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;

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;

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;

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, 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;

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);

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;

Two white horses pulling a four-wheeled sulkey and driver proceed up Ninth Street in the Cole Brothers- Clyde Beatty Circus parade. Palomino horses with riders carrying American flags follow behind the two-horse team. A large crowd of spectators watch the parade. This was the first circus procession in Tacoma in years and it was to announce the arrival by train of the Circus, which would be making a one day stop in Tacoma with performances in the afternoon and evening. The show would pitch tents on the Union Pacific RR circus grounds, opposite Union Station and across the 15th Street Bridge.

Circus parades--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horse teams--Tacoma; Flags; Spectators--Tacoma;

Tacomans turn out in droves at 11 a.m. on August 22, 1936 to see the first circus parade in years, passing by the Roxy Theatre, 901 Broadway, now known as the Pantages. The Cole Brothers- Clyde Beatty Circus is in town, featuring young wild animal trainer Clyde Beatty. Marquees indicate the Roxy Theatre, the Music Box, at 902-14 Broadway, destroyed by fire 4/30/1963, and the Rialto, 310 So. 9th. In the back right of the photo is the First Baptist Church, 902 Market St.

Circus parades--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horse teams--Tacoma; Flags; Spectators--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); First Baptist Church (Tacoma);

A circus wagon pulled by an eight horse team turned the corner at South 9th Street and Pacific Avenue as hundreds of Tacomans lined the parade route and watched. The Cole Brothers-Clyde Beatty circus came to Tacoma in August of 1936 for a one day stop. With 1,080 performers and support staff and over 800 animals, including 30 elephants, the circus had the population of a good sized town. The featured performer is young Clyde Beatty, noted wild animal trainer. (T. Times 8/21/1936, pg. 13)

Circus parades--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horse teams--Tacoma; Flags; Spectators--Tacoma;

Float constructed for the celebration of the P.W.A. $2,700,000 grant to begin construction on a bridge across the Narrows. Standing on a truck bed, construction workers display a sign: " We Pledge our Cooperation - Structural Iron Workers Union Local 114." Floats preceded the event at the Stadium Bowl, attended by over 5,000. (T. Times, 7/1/1938, p. 1).

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Structural Iron Workers Union, Local 114 (Tacoma);

Daffodil Pageant. The Merchants Association float featured a lighthouse and row boat with two women fishing. Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau won the grand prize for its "fisherman's paradise" theme. In the background is the Queens viewing stand at 10th and Pacific. Thirty thousand people attended Tacoma's parade.

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma);

Puyallup Civic Club's entry led the parade with Daffodil Festival Queen Bliss Lundrigan and her attendants Agnes Kucemba and Bernice Daniel standing before a gateway arch with a model of Mountain Rainier completing the float design. (T.Times, 4/2/1938).

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma);

An elaborate float features a model airplane and aircraft hanger. A large crowd of spectators watch the parade from the corner of 9th and Broadway in front of the Roxy Theater. (T.Times, 4/2/1938, p.1).

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma);

1938 Daffodil Festival Parade. A float features a floral airplane with the sign: "Tacoma Wholesalers Welcomes The Northwest Air Base." Industrial building in background appears to be Washington Wineries, "Home of the Lovino." On March 30, 1938, the County officials had signed over the deed of Tacoma Field to the War Department to be used in the construction of a giant airbase, to be called McChord Field. (T.Times, 4/2/1938, p.1).

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma);

Daffodil Pageant. Tacoma Chamber of Commerce float features a building scene below Mount Rainier. Sign on float: "Puyallup Valley the Daffodil Center of America." Floats congregated at 21st and Market Street before the parade. (T.Times, p. 1).

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma);

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);

Daffodil Pageant. The Improved Order of Redmen, the oldest American organization in the United States, celebrated the theme Boston Tea Party with colonials, Indians, and a tepee aboard their float. Their motto: "freedom, friendship and charity." (T.Times, 4/2/1938, p 1).

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Improved Order of Redmen (Tacoma);

1938 Daffodil Parade. A colonial and native Americans populate a float entered in the parade by the Improved Order of Redmen stating "We organized the Boston Tea Party in 1773." The float is attributed to "The oldest American organization in the United States." The Order of Redmen is indeed one of America's oldest fraternal organizations not imported from another country. It is also chartered by Congress. The group was founded in 1765 as the Sons of Liberty. It was a secret society dedicated to throwing off the bonds of English tyranny. After the revolution, it assumed its current name. The group is devoted to inspiring a greater love of the United States of America and the principles of American liberty.

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Improved Order of Redmen (Tacoma);

1938 Daffodil Parade. Participants on a float attributed to "The oldest American organization in the United States;" the Improved Order of Redmen. A colonial, representing the group's prerevolutionary background, shakes hands with a Native American, whose culture became the backbone of the society's organization and terminology.

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Improved Order of Redmen (Tacoma);

1938 Daffodil Parade. Large crowds gathered around the Daffodil Queen Bliss I and her attendants in an elaborate reviewing stand constructed at 10th and Pacific. Bliss Lundrigan, a 17 year old senior at Puyallup High School, is the reigning Queen, attended by Bernice Daniel of Tacoma, left, and Agnes Kucemba of Sumner. The trio appear in their official robes, a first for Daffodil royalty. An estimated 30,000 people attended the parade in Tacoma which continued on into the valley.

Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Lundrigan, Bliss; Daniel, Bernice; Kucemba, Agnes;