Portland Rose Festival
portland rose festival annual civic festival held month june portland oregon organized volunteer nonprofit portland rose festival foundation named portland rose festival association purpose promoting portland region includes three separate parade along number activity portland rose society founded georgiana pittock friend began backyard rose show pittocks garden annual fundraising event drew crowd year rose society hosting annual rose show along additional festivity including parade pageant portland mayor harry lane remembered rousing speech lewis clark exposition telling large crowd portland needed festival rose first rose festival flower parade held portland pittock neighbor contributed rose garden decorate float wagon people horse parade portland rose festival association incorporated portland hosted first official portland rose festival grand floral parade centerpiece festival second largest allfloral parade united state tournament rose parade spectator line route making flower parade largest singleday spectator event oregon first parade called rose carnival eventually came known rose festival parade later still grand floral parade festival also included electric parade illuminated float evolved merrykhana parade twoseason suspension renamed starlight parade since queen selected court high school senior school area member court called princess brief period starting officially called ambassador term princess reinstated january college scholarship awarded member royalty starting rose festival foundation opened one place court someone school outside portland city limit driver princess chosen high school first african american driver escort sam whitney benson high school junior rose festival focused child began unofficially city east side included parade junior court became official part rose festival festival annual junior parade take place city hollywood district junior parade grown event involving nearly child making world largest parade child fleet week ship united state navy coast guard army corp engineer royal canadian navy dock along seawall tom mccall waterfront park festival also host starlight parade firework display carnival ride along portland waterfront among event dragon boat race willamette river included every year since golden rose ski classic annual ski race originating oldest known organized ski race america ussasanctioned summer race air show added rose festival remained part festival held hillsboro airport named rose festival air show name generally preceded sponsor name th show rose festival association decided discontinue relationship event show reorganized oregon international air show different sponsor longer rose festival event festival held world war world war ii festival began nd avenue rose parade parade cancelled returned covid pandemic concern canceled parade parade would return international festival event association named portland rose festival best world portland gold medal royal rosarians official site