Second only to the summertime Washington State Fair in Puyallup, the Daffodil Festival is an annual celebration of daffodils in Pierce County’s Puyallup Valley. The Daffodil Festival is made up of many smaller events and parades, honoring the history and traditions in the Puyallup Valley where daffodil flowers grew for over 80 years.
One of the most anticipated festival events is The Daffodil Parade, featuring floats decorated with thousands of fresh-cut daffodils, along with marching bands, clowns, and many other local groups in this community-wide celebration. The parade consists of over 180 entries and travels through the four Daffodil Festival cities: Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting. Read more about the history of the parade and festival below.
History of the Daffodil Parade and Festival
The Daffodil Festival originated in 1934 as a celebration of the agriculture industry in the Puyallup and Sumner area with the daffodil as the exalted symbol. The Grand Floral Daffodil Parade became a beautiful way to celebrate throughout the entire valley. The parade grew to make its way through four Pierce County cities in a single day. In addition, there is the Junior Daffodil Parade conceived for our children and the Daffodil Marine Parade of boats along the Tacoma waterfront.
Despite the loss of the daffodil farmers throughout the years, Pierce County is still fertile ground, continuing to sprout new ideas and ways of thinking, ingenuity, industry, and innovation. The parade still hosts the beautiful golden daffodil flowers and the festival flourishes throughout Puyallup Valley. Today’s participating high school bands, parade floats, businesses, and community organizations hold strong ties to the streets were the parade travels.
2024 Daffodil Parades in Tacoma and South Sound
The Daffodil Festival is a community celebration that includes many smaller events and the following parades.
Grand Floral Daffodil Parade
The Daffodil Parade takes place in four Pierce County cities: Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting.
- When: April 6, 2024
- Tacoma – 10:15 AM (Pacific Ave from 12th to 21st Streets)
- Puyallup – 12:45 PM (7th Ave SW at 5th SW to S Meridian, W Meeker Ave, 3rd St SW, 4th Ave SW)
- Sumner – 2:30 PM (Main ST. at Kincaid Ave to Sunset Stadium)
- Orting – 5:00 PM (Washington Ave S from Bridge to Whitsell
- More info: Daffodil Parade – The Daffodil Festival
Daffodil Marine Parade
Wrapping up the Daffodil Festival’s Parade season on the water! The Tacoma Yacht Club (TYC) hosts Daffodil Festival Royalty and dozens of yachts and marine vessels in a waterfront parade. Beginning at the TYC near the Point Defiance Ferry Terminal, the Parade continues south along the Tacoma waterfront to the Thea Foss Waterway, which makes for more than one beautiful place to stay dry landside and watch the parade on the water.
- When: April 14, 2024 at 11:30 AM
- Where: Tacoma Waterfront from the Tacoma Yacht Club to Thea Foss Waterway
- More info: Tacoma Yacht Club
Junior Daffodil Parade
The Junior Daffodil Parade is geared to children, by encouraging the growth of creativity and fun in even the youngest. Costumes, pets, music, and non-motorized floats make this parade a very special event. The Junior Parade takes place about one week after the Daffodil Parade. It is the largest children’s parade in the state at four blocks long.
- When: April 20, 2024 at 10:00 AM
- Where: Tacoma’s North End Proctor District
- More info: Junior Daffodil Parade – The Daffodil Festival
Sumner Spartan Marching Band
Watch the following YouTube video featuring the 2022 Sumner Spartan Marching band in a little friendly Drumline playoff with their friends from Lincoln High School. Hold on to your hat!
Upcoming street festivals & parades
Listed below are the street festivals and parades on our calendar for the next 60 days.
But wait, there’s more!
- And here’s a list of 101+ always free things to do for fun.
- Find more free and cheap things to do every day: Greater Seattle on the Cheap event calendar.
- Still more ideas for frugal fun: Greater Seattle on the Cheap home page.
