The Daffodil Festival

The Daffodil Festival is a regional festival and royalty leadership program. The Grand Floral Parade is held in Pierce County, Washington every April. It consists of a flower parade and a year-long royalty program to select a festival queen from one of the 23 area high schools. Each year, the Royal Court spend thousands of hours promoting education, community pride and volunteerism in the county. In 2012, the Royal Court was named the "Official Ambassadors of Pierce County" by the County Executive and the Pierce County Council.[1]

The Daffodil Festival
GenreCommunity Festival, Royalty Program
Dates1926-present
Location(s)Pierce County, Washington
Years active83
WebsiteThe Daffodil Festival instagram.com/daffodilfestival/

History

The Daffodil Festival came into existence because of the bulb industry between 1922 and 1925. It followed a severe infestation of ‘hop lice’ that destroyed the area’s hop crops and Prohibition. The US Department of Agriculture recommended bulb planting to Valley growers because of the mildness of the climate and ideal soil conditions. The climate conditions of the Puyallup River Valley produce blooms about 2-3 weeks earlier than other areas, in plenty of time for the mid winter markets. The area quickly became the nations ‘bulb basket’ producing 50% of the nations daffodil bulbs, over 50% of its bulb iris and 80% of the nations tulips. About 300 of the 12,000 varieties of daffodils were grown in the Valley. The most popular and most locally grown is the King Alfred.

Between 1928 and 1933 a Bulb Sunday and bulb banquet were held. Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Orton hosted civic leaders from 15 towns in western Washington in 1926. In 1927 the Sumner Chamber of Commerce sponsored the first Bulb Banquet. Free daffodils were given away to visitors. The roads became increasingly congested each year as people drove out to see the colorful fields. Reaching a peak of 30,000 vehicles. A local photographer Lee Merrill suggested a parade be held to “ take the daffodils to the people”. He organized the first event in 1934, this was the first festival as we know it today. Lee decided every festival needs a queen so as he was driving through Puyallup he saw a pretty girl and stopped and asked her if she would be the queen. Her reply “I’ll have to ask my husband”. Elizabeth Lee Wotten became the first Daffodil Queen at the age of 28. She had only 4 days to find a proper gown. She stood on a reviewing platform with her flower girl and princess to watch the parade in downtown Tacoma. Supporters of the festival included the Chambers of Commerce of Tacoma, Puyallup, and Summner. In 1937 the Daffodil Festival was made into a non-profit corporation. Funding came from donations and the sale of memberships.

An annual event, the festival encompasses the whole of Pierce County. Originally five participating cities included Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Orting and Fife joined in 1959. The Daffodil Festival grew to become the 3rd largest floral festival in the US by the 1960s.

The first daffodils and narcissus were planted in 1910 by George Lawler at Gardenville, now the location of the Poodle Dog Restaurant in Fife. Many of the earliest bulbs were imported from England and the Continent, sometimes at a cost of 75$ a bulb. In 1911, Lawler purchased 9000 bulbs of all varieties and kinds and hand planted them Dutch style. These plantings grew to 15 acres in North Puyallup, and finally to about 100 acres on the banks of the Nisqually River near Roy. Other early growers were Charles and Ed Orton, Frank Chernenko, H.F. Groningen and L.M.Hatch. The largest growers were Harold Knutson in Sumner, Van Lierop in Puyallup, and Wally Staazt at Orting. The best viewing times are from March 15- April 1.

Despite the loss of the daffodil farmers throughout the years, Pierce County is still home to new ideas and a sense of community. The Festival now boasts a royalty program that selects young women from 23 high schools across the County and provides them with a scholarship while helping them grow in their public speaking and public service skills.

Parade
2012 Daffodil Festival Royal Court

The Grand Floral Parade travels through Pierce County, WA, with four routes in: Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting in one day.

The concept of "four parades in four cities in one day" is unique to the Daffodil Festival. The parade is held every year on a Saturday in April.

Daffodil Festival Royal Court

The Festival boasts a royalty scholarship program that supports outstanding young women from 23 high schools across Pierce County.

Royalty Selection Process and Requirements

Candidate requirements include (but aren't limited to): students in their senior year, a minimum of a 3.2 GPA, no children, and no visible tattoos. Participating schools hold a selection process involving each an interview, speech, and impromptu question. Judge panels are chosen by the school's Daffodil Festival Coordinator, with guidelines from the festival - some judges have been: community members, local television hosts or town politicians, Daffodil Festival Royalty Alumni, and more. Judges are chosen who are unbiased and may not know any of the incoming Daffodil Royalty Candidates for that school. The panel uses a pre-established scale to score each candidate, and interviews may include Daffodil Festival and Community History, academics, extra curricular activities, volunteering, and related topics. One candidate is chosen to represent each school as their Daffodil Princess in Daffodil Festival Royal Court.

Appearances, Volunteer Opportunities & Scholarship Program

The Daffodil Festival Royal Court members, in years past, have contributed up to 200 volunteer hours each within their year's reign. Appearances and volunteer opportunities have included in the past: the Daffodil Grand Floral Parade, Queen's Coronation, SeaFair, other PNW area parades, civic events, grand opening appearances, dog shows, Emergency Food Network, food banks, World Vision, charity event appearances, mall events and appearances, library reading events, Boys & Girls club mentorship visits, and more. With the pandemic climate in 2020, more appearances and volunteer opportunities have shifted to a digital platform including reading books for children on their Facebook Page.

In 2012, the Royal Court was named the "Official Ambassadors of Pierce County" by the County Executive and the Pierce County Council.[1]

Thanks to the generosity of Daffodil Festival Scholarship Foundation and its donors, each member of the royal court receives a scholarship, differing in amounts between the Princess and the Queen scholarships.

Participating high schools

As of 2019, the participating high schools are:

Past Queens

Each year in March the 23 princesses participate in the Daffodil Festival Queen's Coronation, where one of them is crowned Daffodil Festival Queen.

  • 2020: NO QUEEN SELECTED (due to pandemic)
  • 2019: Queen Katie Gilbert (White River)
  • 2018: Queen Allie Brooks (Lincoln)
  • 2017: Queen Marin Sasaki (Orting)
  • 2016: Queen Emily Oliver (Spanaway Lake)
  • 2015: Queen Ashley Becker (Bonney Lake)
  • 2014: Queen Marissa Modestowicz (Emerald Ridge)
  • 2013: Queen McKenna Erhardt (Rogers)
  • 2012: Queen Sarah Karamoko (Henry Foss)
  • 2011: Queen Claire Flemming (Curtis HS)
  • 2010: Queen Annie Jeong (Stadium High School)
  • 2009: Queen Melanie Stambaugh (Emerald Ridge)
  • 2008: Queen Olivia Anderson (Cascade Christian)
  • 2007: Queen
  • 2006: Queen
  • 2005: Queen Jessica DeWitt (Mt Tahoma)
  • 2004: Queen Romelynn Eleno (Lakes)
  • 2003: Queen Angie Voiles (Sumner)
  • 2002: Queen Katrina Woldseth (Franklin Pierce)
  • 2001: Queen Tara Faw (Orting)
  • 2000: Queen Tiye Smith Henry Foss H.S.
  • 1999: Queen Jeanna Little Sumner H.S.
  • 1998: Queen Allison Porter Curtis H.S
  • 1997: Queen Jennifer Brown Sumner H.S.
  • 1996: Queen Hillary Faulk Sumner H.S.
  • 1995: Queen Cynthia Gee Henry Foss H.S.
  • 1994: Queen Julie Frye Rogers H.S.
  • 1993: Queen Erin Haynie Rogers H.S.
  • 1992: Queen Brandi Rector Orting H.S.
  • 1991: Queen Ensung Kelly Nah Wilson H.S.
  • 1990: Queen Kelly Parkhurst Fife H.S.
  • 1989: Queen Lea Snider Puyallup H.S.
  • 1988: Queen Heidi Johnson Curtis H.S.
  • 1987: Queen Deborah Harlan Puyallup H.S.
  • 1986: Queen Kristin Macrander Lakes H.S.
  • 1985: Queen Jaymee Marty Clover Park H.S.
  • 1984: Queen Jeanette Hopkins Gig Harbor H.S.
  • 1983: Queen Jeanene Dryer Bethel H.S.
  • 1982: Queen Sandy Furtaw Bethel H.S.
  • 1981: Queen Cindy Kovalenko Sumner H.S.
  • 1980: Queen Robin Asbjorsen Puyallup H.S.
  • 1979: Queen Paula Nelson Curtis H.S.
  • 1978: Queen Janice Ash Wilson H.S.
  • 1977: Queen Carol Glenn Bethel H.S.
  • 1976: Queen Renee Hopp Rogers H.S.
  • 1975: Queen Wendy Van Noy Franklin Pierce H.S.
  • 1974: Queen Lori Webber Wilson H.S.
  • 1973: Queen Sherri Murraey Fife H.S.
  • 1972: Queen Paula Achziger Wilson H.S.
  • 1971: Queen Jean Fink Lakes H.S.
  • 1970: Queen Shelly Grobey Mt Tahoma H.S.
  • 1969: Queen Linda Michael Puyallup H.S.
  • 1968: Queen Cheryl Lamka Stadium H.S.
  • 1967: Queen Carol Parcheta Franklin Pierce H.S.
  • 1966: Queen Susan Bona Wilson H.S.
  • 1965: Queen Kay Bryson Sumner H.S.
  • 1964: Queen Karen Goettling Puyallup H.S.
  • 1963: Queen Gail Belknap Mt Tahoma H.S.
  • 1962: Queen Sharon Silvernail Orting H.S.
  • 1961: Queen Carmel Mackin Puyallup H.S.
  • 1960: Queen Diane Harkness Lincoln H.S.
  • 1959: Queen Carol Mills Franklin Pierce H.S.
  • 1958: Queen Gretchen Brockhoff Stadium H.S.
  • 1957: Queen Janice Methven Lincoln H.S.
  • 1956: Queen Margaret Strachan Stadium H.S.
  • 1955: Queen Elvera Sommmer Puyallup H.S.
  • 1954: Queen Mary Carlile Sumner H.S.
  • 1953: Queen Joan Marie Dennis Puyallup H.S.
  • 1952: Queen Eva Beattie Sumner H.S.
  • 1951: Queen Elaine Chipps Puyallup H.S.
  • 1950: Queen Nancy Davis Sumner H.S.
  • 1949: Queen Mary Jean Grooper Puyallup H.S.
  • 1948: Queen Doreen Moody Sumner H.S.
  • 1947: Queen Joan Eidson Puyallup H.S.
  • 1946: Queen Gloria Dinwiddle Sumner H.S.
  • 1945: No Parade
  • 1944: No Parade
  • 1943: No Parade
  • 1942: Queen Shirley Neiman Puyallup H.S.
  • 1941: Queen Pauline Martin Sumner H.S.
  • 1940: Queen Marge Roscoe Puyallup H.S.
  • 1939: Queen Bette Lee Sumner H.S.
  • 1938: Queen Bliss Lundrigan Puyallup H.S.
  • 1937: Queen Dorothy Lyons Sumner H.S.
  • 1936: Queen Helen Edgerton Puyallup H.S.
  • 1935: Queen Margaret Thomas Sumner H.S.
  • 1934: Queen Elizabeth Lee Wooten Puyallup H.S.

Parades Through the Years (Themes, Presidents and Sir Bosses)


References
  1. Pierce County Council Resolution - Proclamation No. R2012-3<http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/cfapps/council/iview/ViewDocument.cfm?id=5995&name=>

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