On November 24th, a glorious Sunday in East Pasadena, folks gathered with expectations in street clothes and ludicrous costumes. They were standing or setting in anticipation of the 42nd running of The Pasadena Occasional Doo Dah Parade. These people were a mixture of participants, spectators, young, old and most specifically counter-culture in nature ready for a day of shenanigans and mischief.
The lure of the Occasional Doo Dah Parade is partially the irreverent unexpected combined with a spark of color, oddly innovative creativity, the mockery, and satire of the soon approaching Rose Bowl Parade. So much like other parades, there is a Queen that presides over the Parade and the day’s events. This year Queen Jesselynn Desmond held court over all the zany insanity.
Royalty from previous years (Doo Dah Queens and Kings) set at the judges’ table mildly judging or simply being amused as the cavalcade of carnivalesque participants pass by. The parade proved to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory. If you can imagine it you can be it at the Doo Hah Parade. After the parade, there were more celebrations and after-parties to send everyone off in fine fashion for Sunday with another year of Doo Dah as a glorious memory made.
There is a photo gallery here for your enjoyment but if you want to get the full effect of all 189 images for the parade please follow this link to my Flickr Doo Dah Parade Album. They are big beautiful pictures in radian color!