Gay Activities Marking Rhododendron Festival at Florence
GaZa Spectacle to Reach
Colorful Climax Sunday
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CORONATION Florence Mayor E. A. Davidson crowns
Junior Queen Rhododendra, Bette Hueller, before the
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CHARACTERS AND FLOATS Representing a man
from space won a second prize for Shelley Wilson, left,
in the celebration's junior parade. Another prize winner
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PARADE PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATOR Bobby
. Milli, left, in his racer, and Roland and Doyle Swear
four princesses who made up the Rhododendron Festi-
vars junior court.
' (Register-Guard photos by Grenon and Stauberi)
was the float shown at the right, which includes Mike
and Kathleen Anderson.
ingen, right, in their choo-thoo train were among the
many colorful entries that attracted throngs of spectators
By JANET
Restster.Gui.rd
FLORENCE More than
200 gaily clad youngsters de
picting imaginative scenes from
fairy tales, science fiction sto
ries and their individual
dreams tromped through Flor
ence Saturday in the 54th an
nual Rhododendron Festival's
junior parade.'
The turnout of youngsters
and several thousand specta
tors despite gloomy, grey skies
led members of the Siuslaw
Booster Club, the festival's
sponsoring organization, to be
lieve that the 1961 celebration
would indeed be the biggest
and best in the history o this
coastal community's annual
spectacle.
Heavy clouds threatened to
release a downpour upon the
celebration that marks the
blooming of the Rhododendrons
here, but the deluge never
came. And the weather fore
cast for Sunday indicated the
festival would continue un
dampened. Moderate tempera
tures and clouds but no rain
were forecast.
The'Sunday events will begin
at noon with a mammoth pa
rade down Highway 101. Head
ing the parade will be Carmeli
ta Beck, who was crowned
Queen Rhododendra Saturday
night, and her royal court of
four princesses, Mary Middle
ton, Leilani Gallo, Marcia Mann
and Mary Stone.
Charles LaGranchise, "Un
cle Charlie" of television fame,
will be grand marshal for the
colorful procession, which will
include at least nine bands,
numerous marching units and
many elaborate floats.
Following the parade, spec
tators will have their choice of
four colorful activities.
A gigantic olam chowder
feed on Airport Road. More
than 300 -gallons of chowder
are to be prepared for visitors
from 400 pounds of potatoes,
150 pounds of onions, 75 pounds
of bacon; 45 gallons of clams,
70 gallons of milk, five pounds
of salt and one pound of pep
per. A water ski show that
will feature a ski kite fly
ing demonstration at Cleawox
Lake.
A firemen's water fight
just west of the junior high
school grounds. The soggy bat
tle actually will be a demon
stration drill for up to a half
dozen fire departments.
A carnival that is operat
ing throughout the festival on
the junior high school grounds.
' The three days of festivities
began Friday afternoon when
Florence Mayor E. A. David
son crowned Junior Queen Rho
dodendra Bette Hueller. The
junior queen and her court of
four princesses Kathy Peter
sen, Dawn Gilbert, Janice Gros
enbach and Karen Saubert
were honored by the parade
that highlighted Saturday's ac
tivities.
There was more fun and frol
ic for the youngsters in Satur
day's schedule.. A, variety of
games, contests and amuse
ments were provided for the
tots as soon as the parade end
ed. Serious events too were in
cluded. Gov. Mark 0. Hatfield
dedicated the new $51,250 Lane
County branch office building
here before he , headed the
. youngster's parade. He and his
wife took time out from meet
ing the public and from review
ing the young marchers to
present a Boy Scout certificate
of merit to Bill Bones, who
was credited with rescuing a
to line the youngsters' route of march. The pay, imagina
tive costumes and floats held the rapt attention of Linda
RAG AN
correspondent
fellow Scout from a
burning
tent in March, 1960.
Members of the festival's
royal court performed in a tal
ent show before more than 600
spectators Friday night. Satur
day night's gala activities in
cluded a square dance jamboree
and the queen's coronation ball.
Grand prize winner in the
junior parade was Gordon Elliott,-depicting
a giant alarm
clock that featured moving
'hands.
First-place winners were the
five children of Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Men, David Atkin, Mar
cy Mills and Bob Mills, for a
"Woman in the Shoe" float;
Roland and Doyle Swearingen,
for a choo-choo train float;
and 19 first graders from Mrs.
June McDonald's class at Sius
law Primary School, for their
representation of characters
from "Peter Pan."
Second-place awards went to
a "Wizard of Oz" float; a
"Treasure Island" float; and
an airplane float.
Third-place awards went to
Scott Read and Dan Boles for
a representation of "Ding Dong
Bell, Pussy's in the Well"; Jan
ice and Dick Graden, Dwight
and Darlene Reindl, for "Alad
din and His Lamp"; and Mike
and Kathy Anderson, for "Pe
ter Rabbit in Mr. MacGregor's
Garden.".
SECTION C
WITCH AND MONSTER CROCODILE -Florence area youngsters donned costumes
to depict storybook characters for the Rhododendron Festival's junior parade Satur
days. Here, Sandy Hedin represents a witch, while Kenneth Elliott depicts a crocodile.
;f m v? w r
PRESENTATION Gov. Mark 0. Hatfield presents a
Boy Scout certificate of merit to Bill Bones, Florence
youth credited with rescuing a fellow Scout from a burn
ing tent in March, 1960. '
LANE COUNTY'S HOME NEWSPAPER
EUGENE, OREGON,
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Kczar and her dog, Corky,
spectators
SUNDAY, MAY 21, 1961
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and several thousand other
of all ages.