Last weekend, Mayor Keith Wilson’s dream came true as he participated in the Grand Floral Parade, an event central to Portland’s Rose Festival tradition.
The parade, which saw the Oregon Zoo’s baby elephant Tula-Tu serving as the grand marshal, has been a topic of conversation lately due to declining financial resources and concerns about its future.
While Wilson celebrated the return of the parade to downtown Portland, locals expressed their desires for the Rose Festival’s evolution.
The festival, a cherished Portland institution for 118 years, is now at a crossroads where community feedback could shape its future.
A variety of Portlanders shared their thoughts on how to revitalize the festival and ensure its longevity.
OregonGal80 expressed a deep affection for the Rose Festival, noting that she volunteers every year and wishes more community members would attend the events instead of staying indoors.
She emphasized the wholesome nature of the parades and suggested that fireworks should be phased out due to their environmental impact.
Catherine Watts echoed this sentiment, mentioning that as a native Portlander, she rarely hears about the festival nowadays and proposed sending postcards with festival dates to encourage participation.
In a similar vein, crash7800 highlighted the need for the festival to reflect Portland’s current identity, advocating for events to move beyond downtown to include diverse neighborhoods like Kenton and St. Johns.
He suggested making Rose Queen a competition between neighborhoods, further emphasizing Portland’s community spirit.
Moreover, katrus called for Portland Public Schools high school bands to have guaranteed participation in the parade, reinforcing the connection to local youth and schools.
Jacob Dean Patterson took an innovative stance, proposing the reallocation of the Arts Tax to support the Rose Festival instead, suggesting that community members might engage through initiatives like pay-to-play treasure hunts.
He encouraged local involvement by highlighting that supporting beloved traditions financially is essential for their survival.
Another Reddit user, suitopseudo, reminisced about the variety of festivals that once filled Portland’s summer calendar, lamenting the dwindling number of community events beyond the Rose Festival and calling for more to be organized.
Urban-hipster chimed in, advocating for the return of the Battle of the Bands, a beloved event that could bring exciting performances to the festival, potentially at venues like Providence Park.
Peach_Nehilist, reflecting on cultural experiences from New Orleans, shared that the solution lies not in reducing parades but in increasing them.
In a separate yet relevant discourse, Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, reached out to City Councilor Dan Ryan.
Her email implied a need for political accountability and the importance of public apologies when one causes harm.
Bonilla urged Ryan to publicly apologize for his stance on police funding, asserting that council members must listen to the voices of the community, especially those marginalized.
This discussion prompted a reaction from Sam Sachs, a lifelong Jewish Portlander, who pointed out Bonilla’s lack of a public apology regarding controversial teaching materials related to Israel and Palestine.
Sachs extended an olive branch to Bonilla, encouraging her to enact the same accountability she demands from public figures.
This conversation around the Rose Festival, alongside Bonilla’s remarks, underscores a pivotal moment for Portland where community engagement and support can create a vibrant and inclusive future for city traditions.
With diverse opinions and ideas circulating, Portlanders are eager to see their beloved Rose Festival flourish once again, reflecting both a united community and the rich tapestry of the city’s neighborhoods.
image source from：https://www.wweek.com/news/dialogue/2025/06/13/readers-offer-ideas-for-saving-the-rose-festival/
