USA: Oregon – Portland Rose Festival Parade
🌹 Portland’s Grand Celebration: Experiencing the Rose Festival
The idea for the Portland Rose Festival first bloomed more than a century ago, at the end of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905. During his closing speech, Mayor Harry Lane spoke of creating a festival that would celebrate the city’s love of roses and showcase Portland’s beauty to the world. His idea took root quickly. Just two years later, in 1907, the first festival was held – a cheerful event that brought together music, flowers, and civic pride. What began as a small community celebration has since grown into a major annual event that attracts visitors from all over the country.
🌸 A Parade of Petals and Pride
The Grand Floral Parade is the centrepiece of the Rose Festival and one of the most famous floral parades in the United States – second only to California’s Tournament of Roses Parade. Every year, more than half a million spectators line the streets to watch as magnificent floats, marching bands, equestrian teams, and community groups make their way through Portland’s downtown. Each float is completely covered in flowers, seeds, and natural materials, creating a kaleidoscope of colour and scent that fills the air. The parade’s origins go back to that very first celebration in 1907, then called the Rose Carnival, which later evolved into the Rose Festival Parade and finally became known as the Grand Floral Parade. It has since become Oregon’s largest single-day spectator event and a proud symbol of the city’s enduring spirit.
🚶 Our First Visit to the Festival
We’ve lived in Oregon for eleven years and, somehow, had never made it up to the Rose Festival – so this year, we decided that was going to change. After reading up on it, I realised that getting there early was key. The parade route is long, winding through both sides of the Willamette River, and I didn’t want to end up standing twenty rows back, catching only glimpses of flowers between heads and umbrellas. We set our alarms for an early start, packed some snacks, and set off with a sense of purpose and curiosity – ready to finally experience this famous local tradition for ourselves.
🐉 The Excitement of the Dragon Boat Races
The Rose Festival is far more than just the parade. One of the events that particularly caught my attention was the Dragon Boat Races on the Willamette River, near the Hawthorne Bridge. These races are organised through the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association and feature beautifully decorated dragon boats, each with twenty paddlers working in perfect synchrony. Over sixty teams compete – local groups, national clubs, and even international crews – in a series of four-team heats held every nine minutes.
On the morning of the races, Portland greeted us with a cool grey sky and a hint of mist hanging over the water. It wasn’t raining, thankfully – always something to be grateful for in the Pacific Northwest. We arrived around eight in the morning, and the crowds were still light enough that we could make our way right down to the small beach beside the finishing line. The women’s division was underway, and it was incredible to watch the energy and precision as the teams sliced through the water to the steady beat of the drum. Between races, we chatted with some of the paddlers who were resting nearby. They told us they’d been training for weeks, practising three times a week, rain or shine. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and we found ourselves cheering louder with each passing race.
🎺 Waiting for the Grand Floral Parade
After watching four races, we began the walk back into town to find our spot along the parade route. The Grand Floral Parade starts on the east side of the river, near the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, before crossing the Burnside Bridge and winding through downtown Portland. We picked what looked like a perfect corner – right where the parade would turn after crossing the bridge – and settled in around 9:15 am. The parade wouldn’t reach us for at least another hour, so we passed the time chatting, people-watching, and soaking up the festive atmosphere. Families were setting up folding chairs, children waved little rose-shaped flags, and the smell of street food drifted through the air. The anticipation built slowly, and when the first notes of a marching band echoed across the bridge, the crowd came to life with applause and cheers.
🎺 The Parade in Full Bloom
When the first floats finally rolled into view, the wait was worth it. The scene was a riot of colour and sound – giant floral floats gleaming in the light, brass bands marching proudly, and performers waving from their moving stages. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air. Some of the floats were huge and elaborate, covered in roses, lilies, and chrysanthemums, depicting everything from nature scenes to fantasy creatures. Marching bands from high schools across the state brought rhythm and energy to the streets, while local groups, clowns, and even animals joined the procession.
It was joyful and light-hearted, the kind of community event that makes you feel connected to everyone around you. We stayed for over an hour, soaking in the sights and sounds until our stomachs reminded us it was time for lunch.
🎺 The Parade in Full Bloom
When the first floats finally rolled into view, the wait was worth it. The scene was a riot of colour and sound – giant floral floats gleaming in the light, brass bands marching proudly, and performers waving from their moving stages. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air. Some of the floats were huge and elaborate, covered in roses, lilies, and chrysanthemums, depicting everything from nature scenes to fantasy creatures. Marching bands from high schools across the state brought rhythm and energy to the streets, while local groups, clowns, and even animals joined the procession.
It was joyful and light-hearted, the kind of community event that makes you feel connected to everyone around you. We stayed for over an hour, soaking in the sights and sounds until our stomachs reminded us it was time for lunch.