Have you heard that the Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Festival will return to the streets of downtown Santa Rosa this year, for the first time since before COVID hit? (Our Rose Parade is not to be confused with California’s other iconic Rose Parade — the one held each New Year’s down in Pasadena.) The revival of this century-old Santa Rosa tradition is scheduled for 10am on Saturday, May 18 — not next weekend, but the weekend after. And the parade’s grand marshal for its big comeback after a five-year hiatus will be none other than Sonoma County’s most famous comic-book character, Snoopy the dog. Or, I should say, an energetic person wearing a Snoopy costume! If you’ve never been to the parade: Picture 100-plus floats, marching bands and other lively configurations of human and vessel rolling down the half-mile stretch of Fourth Street between Brookwood and B, positively smothered in roses. We’re talking cars covered in roses; org names written in roses; roses woven into dresses, hats and flower crowns; actual rose bushes overflowing from flatbeds; etc, etc. The theme this year will be “Trek Thru Time” — so everyone will be repping different eras of Sonoma County culture, whether from the past, present or future. “We cannot believe how many community groups, businesses and individuals signed up to participate in this year’s parade!” organizers posted on Facebook back in March. “Our lineup includes a business who participated in the very first parade in 1894, a group made up of (young) people who weren’t even alive the last time a Rose Parade happened, an incredible amount of cool vehicles and lots of entries going all in on this year’s theme.” Here’s some more parade history from organizers: “Though the famed horticulturist Luther Burbank took part in the event as early as 1914, the annual tradition began in 1894 with the first Rose Carnival. It continued until 1926 when it was canceled due to Burbank’s death, shortly before the festival. A longer hiatus was observed during the World Wars. The Junior Chamber of Commerce ‘Jaycees’ revived the event in 1950, renaming it in honor of Burbank. It has been held every year since and always with a parade. Many elements have changed over the years. The original affairs offered the grandeur of coronation balls and the pageantry of royal courts; later versions offered regattas, bicycle and running races, fireworks and tennis. The parade, though, has always been the central activity.” The Historical Society of Santa Rosa recently posted some interesting old pics and newspaper clippings from the 1950s on Facebook, detailing a series of wild-looking sports-car drag races held as part of the Rose Festival back in those days. We won’t get any drag races this year, but there is a big free “community festival” after the parade at Old Courthouse Square, offering “family fun for ALL ages, local food and drink, live performances, and more” through 3pm that afternoon, according to the event website. “Think photo opps, old fashioned games, crafts, education, activities, all with a Sonoma County vibe.” (Source: Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Luther Burbank Rose Parade via Facebook & Historical Society of Santa Rosa via Facebook & Press Democrat)
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