Puyallup Daffodil Festival Parade Guide 2013

The 80th Annual Daffodil Festival is promising to be as grand as ever, and Puyallup Patch has your parade guide, including route maps, parking suggestions and more.

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Parade Schedule:

The 80th Annual Daffodil Parade “The Magic of Music” is Saturday, April 13, 2013.  

The parade travels through the four cities of Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting and consists of over 150 entries, including floats, marching bands, classic cars and mounted units. Floats are decorated with thousands of fresh-cut daffodils and the parade is a bridge that links one generation to another.

Parade Start Times:

Tacoma – 10:15 AM
Puyallup – 12:45 PM
Sumner – 2:30 PM
Orting – 5:00 PM

Note that Meridian through downtown Puyallup will be closed, beginning Friday, April 12 at 5:30 p.m. It will re-open on the morning of April 15 at 7 a.m.

View the route maps.

We also have the route maps attached to the media gallery of this article.

Insider Tips for Enjoying the Puyallup Parade and Getting Around

Anyone who has attended a Puyallup parade will tell you: if it's a nice day, get there early if you want a good view. When skies are clear, some start staking spots along the parade route as early as 6 a.m. 

The Puyallup leg of the parade begins at Sparks Stadium, on the corner of 7th Ave SW & 5th St SW.

The Puyallup Street Division will start placing 'road closed' signs at approximately 11 a.m. View the Puyallup parade route in our media gallery.

Parking can be tough and Puyallup Police will enforce parking laws during the parade, said Capt. Scott Engle. 

"Be prepared for very heavy traffic downtown and long backups with traffic," said Engle. "Our best advice? We highly encourage parade visitors to not leave valuables out in their car. Secure valuables in the trunk, take them with you or leave them at home."

(PSST: The best place for parking? We've heard City Hall...)

 For bus routes and schedules, visit the Pierce Transit website

Weather

Unfortunately, the Northwest Weather Service calls for a 70 percent chance of rain on Saturday afternoon. Skies will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 50 degrees and southwest wind 15 to 20 mph. 

Watch the Parade on TV

KING 5 will film the parade in Puyallup, and KONG 6/16 will show a tape-delayed, 90-minute broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Check your local listings for viewing times and more information. 

Other Events Happening on Saturday

It's a busy weekend in the South Sound! See these other events happening Saturday:

Puyallup Farmers Market

The popular Puyallup Farmer's Market kicks off its 32nd year on Saturday and will feature dozens of vendors offering fresh produce, artisan crafts, specialty food, live entertainment and much more. The market is held in Pioneer Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Daffodil Festival Carnival

The free Daffodil Festival Carnival begins Thursday, April 11 and runs through Sun., April 14, 2013 in the Tacoma Dome parking lot.

Times are as follows:

Friday, April 12: 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 13: 12 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 14: 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Please note: times may change due to weather.

Admission is free and parking is available in G/F lots. Rides, games and food are available for a fee.

Junior Daffodil Parade

The 52nd Annual Junior Parade is hosted by the Proctor District of Tacoma and is geared toward children. Costumes, pets, music and non-motorized floats make this parade a special event! The Daffodil Princesses also play a big role in the parade, leading things off and then seated, to watch all of the other entries perform. Visit the Junior Daffodil website for more information.

Daffodil Marine Show

The end of the Daffodil Festival weekend is celebrated on water. The Tacoma Yacht Club will Daffodil Royalty and dozens of other yachts and marine vessels in the Daffodil Marine Festival and Parade on Sunday, April 21, 2013

The events begin at the Tacoma Yacht Club near Point Defiance ferry terminal and continue along the waterfront to the Foss Thea Waterway in downtown Tacoma. Visit the Tacoma Yacht Club website for more information. 

What are your insider tips for enjoying the parade? Tell us in the comments.