Arts & Entertainment
Portland Rose Festival Starts Friday May 25
T
he Rose Festival gets into full
swing this weekend with the
opening of the Rose Festival
CityFair. With a new carnival ride –
the Megadrop – and a fireworks dis-
play, choreographed to classic rock
hits, Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront
Park will be the ideal place to be for
anyone who loves to have fun.
Admission is free for everyone Fri-
day May 25, and for children under
six throughout the festival.
The CityFair will be open on all
three Rose Festival weekends. Check
out the local beer, live exotic animals
and CityFair shopping, as you make
your way through the carnival.
The new Megadrop is the tallest
ride. It will take you 131 feet into the
sky, before dropping down with a
5Gs negative force, until all 12 riders
suddenly, softly and safely come to
rest. The exhilaration will last longer
than the ride!
The fair is just the start of what’s on
offer at Portland’s Rose Festival. If
past traditions are any guide, plenty
of people will be lining up overnight
June 8 to secure the best view of the
Grand Floral Parade with its Rose
Princesses, clowns, marching bands
and 14 colorful, floral-covered floats,
including a self-built entry from Reed
College. More than 90 entries have
signed up.
This year’s Rose Festival theme is
Rock ‘n’ Roses, and the parade will
include 18 traditional marching
bands, several dancing groups and
three acapella singing groups, as well
as 21 equestrian groups, plus
marchers, dancers and special guests
in vintage automobiles
During the 105-year length of the
festival, the parade was cancelled
five times for wars and once for con-
struction of the stadium, making
2012 the hundredth Grand Floral
Parade.
Also on the menu are: the Junior
Parade; the Starlight Run; the
Starlight Parade; Dragon Boat
Races; and the Rose Show at the
Lloyd Center. Rose growers from
across the Pacific Northwest will
show more than 4,000 fragrant and
beautiful roses. Entry is open to any-
one, and some 6,000 visitors from
across the country are expected to
attend this year’s Spring Rose Show.
Rose Festival
Highlights
Friday, May 25
Musical entertainment: 8:00 p.m.
Rose Lighting Ceremony: 9:45 p.m.
Fireworks: 10 p.m. Governor Tom McCall
Waterfront Park
Admission: Free
Monday, May 28 Memorial Day
Veterans and families receive free entry to the
CityFair. Admission free for all before 4 p.m.
Events at RoZone in the CityFair, S.W. Naito Park-
way
March 1:30 p.m.
Sing-along 2 p.m.
Commemoration Ceremony 2:15 p.m
Saturday, June 2
Starlight Run
Lincoln High School to SW 16th & Salmon
Registration: 6 p.m.
Costume judging: 7 p.m.
Race starts at 7:45 p.m.
Starlight Parade
Gathers at the North Park blocks and proceeds:
east on Burnside; south on 4th Avenue; west on
Salmon St.; north on Broadway; east on Stark
St.; south on 10th St.; west on Taylor to end at
Lincoln High School.
Tuesday, June 5
Navy Fleet arrives: Watch at points along the
Willamette River
Wednesday, June 6
Junior Parade:
Children will gather at 1 p.m. in the Hollywood
District at Northeast Sandy and 52nd Avenue.
Thursday, June 7
Rose Show 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. in the Lloyd Center
ice rink ($3)
Friday, June 8
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Lloyd Center ice rink
($3)
Saturday, June 9
Rose Queen will be crowned in Memorial Coli-
seum at 9 a.m. ($30 seating)
Grand Floral Parade starts 10 a.m. at Memorial
Coliseum.
Dragon Boat Races start at 8 a.m. and end at
approximately 4 p.m.
Sunday, June 10
Dragon Boat Races start at 8 a.m. and end at
approximately 4 p.m.
Monday, June 11
Navy Fleet departs: Watch at points along the
Willamette River
Page 8 The Portland Skanner May 23, 2012