Daffodil Festival Weekend: Parades, Carnival, Marine Show and More

The 80th Annual Daffodil Festival is promising to be as grand as ever, and University Place 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

A new addition to parade is the opportunity for a front-row seat inside the festival. Tickets are available to ride the Tacoma Art Bus through the Tacoma and Puyallup legs of the parade, read more on the Tacoma News Tribune.

The following roads in downtown Tacoma will be closed on Saturday from 5 a.m. to noon: 

• A Street, from Ninth Street to 24th Street
• Pacific Avenue, from Ninth Street to 24th Street
• East 11th Street from Market Street to Portland Avenue
• East 11th Street will be one-way eastbound from St. Paul to Portland Avenue

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

Impact on Local Freeways

The A Street and 15th Street exits from I-705 will be closed. Schuster Parkway will remain open and Commerce Street will be accessible from the Stadium exit. The I-705 on-ramp at Ninth Street will be open and drivers will be able to cross Pacific Avenue at SR-509 and 21st Street. 

For bus routes and schedules, visit the Pierce Transit website.

Weather

Unfortunately, the Northwest Weather Service calls for a 60 percent chance of rain in Tacoma on Saturday afternoon. Skies will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 50 and southwest wind of 16 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 around Tacoma and check out the University Place Patch event calendar for more.

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. 

South Tacoma Farmers Market

The market, located inside the Metro Parks/Star Center at 3873 S. 66th St. in Tacoma, is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

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