Parades in old Phoenix

From frontier days onward, who doesn't love a parade? Phoenicians certainly did. (Click on the image to enlarge).

Date unknown, a military parade on Washington. That looks like the Ford Hotel on the left.

 

It's 1899 and the Chinese Division parades through Phoenix in the Winter Carnival. The name is obscure, so I welcome information in the comments.

The Indian and Cowboy Carnival Parade goes down Washington Street in 1903 (National  Archives).

A float touting Liberty Bonds on Washington Street, 1918, with the United States in World War I.

Fast-forward to 1935, where even the Great Depression can't dampen this parade on Central Avenue just south of Monroe Street (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Two years later, the Phoenix JayCee's Rodeo of Rodeos Parade passes the same location (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

With World War II under way, War Bond parades were a regular feature on the home front. Here's one on Central (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

And another in 1942, featuring Army jeeps (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Here come soldiers marching in formation. The balcony of the Hotel Adams made for a great photographers' location (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

This looks like the Rodeo of Rodeos Parade at Central and Taylor. The Post Office is in the upper left (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

With the war over, the Grand Marshals of the parade include some notable names.

From 1947 to 1955, Phoenix hosted a post-season college game. It was called the Salad Bowl for the region's well-known agricultural empire. Here's a parade circa 1950.

Another view of a Salad Bowl Parade taken from the Professional Building, looking north. Note the urban fabric of businesses and shops completely intact.

The Salad Bowl games were played in Phoenix Union High School's impressive Montgomery Stadium, which was demolished in the 1980s. It was also the site of the annual Masque of the Yellow Moon harvest festival. (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

The 1954 Rodeo of Rodeos Parade southbound on Central. The annual parade and rodeo — a national-level championship affair — were among the highlights of the city.

The 1959 edition passes the Hotel Westward Ho (Clarence L. Zinn Collection).

The 1959 homecoming parade of newly named Arizona State University marches east on Adams Street past Second Street.

The Phoenix Indian School held an annual parade on Central. This is the 1952 edition.

The circa 1972 rodeo parade featured this Valley National Bank float (Larry Harker photo).

Kathleen Pryor, the 1978 Rodeo Queen.

The Rodeo of Rodeos Parade in the 1984, toward the end of its long run from 1927 to 1997. Although Denver retains the National Western Stock Show and Calgary its Stampede, Phoenix had strayed far from its western roots.

The Phoenix Pride Parade and Festival in 2011 (Devon Christopher Adams photo).

The APS Electric Light Parade returned this past December on Central from Montebello to Camelback Road after a pandemic hiatus.

And one for Wickenburg in 1937 (McColloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives):

And Tucson, its rodeo parade in 1961:

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Read more Phoenix history in Rogue's Phoenix 101 archive.