one more time around the parade

Below is the video I shot from my camera in the bleachers where we sat for the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade last Saturday. It is shaky, sorry. But this group is such a crowd favorite that I thought some of you would get a smile from their performance. The video is 3:24 minutes long because that's the amount of time it takes for all of these people to march by. Be sure to watch for when I pan to the left when you can see the size of this band as it snakes to the right, having approached the street from the complex where the parade began.

The Portland Rose Festival One More Time Around Again Marching Band presented by Standard TV & Appliance (aka the OMTAAMB) is comprised of over 500 marching band fanatics who don't know when to quit! Members range in age from 18 to 85 and have all marched at some point in their life. Listen for the OMTAAMB in June as they march through the streets of Portland in the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade and Starlight Parade and their feature performance at Concert at the Park.

The OMTAAMB is made up of former high school, college and military marching band members. Members come from far away places just to perform with the band each year -- in recent years there are members who have come from California, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Japan and New Zealand.

Read the full history of OMTAAB (above text from this site & I added the emphasis).



I tried something altogether different with the still shots. So we are experimenting together on this one! I actually was pleased with a few of the stills I took, some that I didn't include in the little animoto project below. I just didn't feel like weeding through gazillions of shots to select one to post, plus I've been wanting to try an animoto since enjoying them at ParisDailyPhoto, where Eric has become an absolute pro with this medium.

The ending shot is of Mike and me after lunch at Cadillac Cafe (where there is a real, very beautifully restored Caddy behind glass in the dining room). Because the shot moves along quickly I felt brave to share with you two changes in me........... I got braces in May after wanting them for decades and I have decided to let the gray grow out in my hair! I have about two inches now and I've been surprised how much I like it, what depth it has as opposed to false haircoloring. Totally shocked actually, and Mike was right about this all along. This means I need to alter the wording in my profile About Me, once I'm positive I'm committed to the change.

(About the braces, after this general announcement here, I will be sharing the 21-month-long odyssey of adult orthodontia from time to time in my other blog only!)

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I'm finding that the animoto doesn't always work the first time, and when I click "refresh" then push play again, there is no problem.





Roses graphics: webweaver.nu



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Can Darlene pick 'em, or what?

Well, Darlene of Darlene's Hodgepodge blog accurately picked the young woman named as the 2009 Rose Festival queen: Rachel Seeman. See my previous post with Darlene's comments for more information.

We had a great time in Portland today and really enjoyed the parade and the crowds. I'm going through photos/videos to see which ones I might share in another post.

The Oregonian newspaper has a charming video at its website taken just before the coronation as the court was getting ready, and then of the moment when the queen was announced. It's edited in a clever way and is a cute glimpse into this part of the Portland Rose Festival. I won't post it; that would be a bit much! But you can view it, if you desire, at this link.



[One more note: Rachel Seeman is a junior in high school, where most of the girls selected on the court are seniors.]





Photo: Bob Finch, The Oregonian

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isn't she lovely?

Portland Rose Festival's 2008 Queen Marshawna R. Williams (of Cleveland high school) was crowned at the Memorial Coliseum the morning of Saturday, June 7 (2008) at 9:15 a.m. surrounded by family and friends. Following the ceremony Queen Marshawna climbed up to the highest tier of the Rose Festival Court float to lead off the KeyBank Grand Floral Parade. Marshawna R. Williams is the sister of Shaela and Ashlee, and daughter of Mark and Elizabeth Williams. She plans to attend the University of Portland and earn a Bachelors degree in Engineering. While in school she hopes to intern for the architectural firm ZGF. Marshawna was Co-President of the Black Student Union, was Student Body Vice President, and an active member of the National Honors Society. She Co-Captained the PDX U-18 Volleyball Club, volunteered through the Sierra Services Program (SSP) and is active in church youth groups. She even volunteered on Indian reservation during the summer of 2007 for a week. Her hobbies include singing, writing, poetry and babysitting neighborhood kids.

Mike and I will be in Portland for the 2009 Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade on Saturday morning. Night owl that I am, this will be a quick post so I can go to bed lots earlier than usual.

The 2009 Rose Festival Queen will be crowned inside the Memorial Coliseum about an hour prior to the parade. Check out photos and bios of each of the 2009 court princesses and see if you can select the winner. These young women are high school seniors selected by their individual schools to represent them for the annual, beloved event.

More information from the Rose Festival website:

The Rose Festival Queen is chosen from all of the Court members and is crowned at the Queen's Coronation presented by Pacific Power. The Queen represents Portland and the Rose Festival for one year at appearances throughout the country and abroad. When choosing a Queen, judges consider each Court member's leadership and scholastic achievement, school activities, civic involvement, volunteer projects, communication skills, and overall impression.

You can read more about the Portland Rose Festival here. The Grand Floral Parade is broadcast in some areas around the country, so check your listings to see if it's shown in your area. I'll wave from the bleachers set up outside the Memorial Coliseum right at the beginning of the parade. This is Mike's year to select the spot where we view the parade. In his case the selection is an actual paid seating venue. My preference has always been downtown, on the sidewalk, along the parade route. This will be a first for us and if I get any good photos I'll share and let you know what it was like watching a parade from the stands!

As far as choosing the 2009 Rose Queen from this year's court, I wouldn't even want to try. They all seem like amazing girls. I hope the sun shines on their parade.


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