Evening star., 1909-05-30

torical. neurological or fantastic pageant.
made up of d series of specially designed
floats and the most conspicuous example
of which is found in the various parades
held in New Orleans each recurring Mardi
Gras week. However. If one looks care
fully into the subject he may find many
reasons why the floral moving picture is
10 be preferred if Washington is to be
the background. In the first place the
pageants such are held just before
Lent in the Crescent city necessitate in
ffnltelv more preparation and entail vast
~ more expense than floral parade
without being any more effective. No
person who has not been behind the
scenes a the Mardi Gras can have any
conception of the magnitude of the prepa
rat1ons necessary, running over many
months. Special designs for floats and
costumes must be prepared long in ad
vance and the manufacture of wardrobe
and properties is as big task as putting
on pretentiouS theatrical spectacle.
Likewise there are many rehearsals of
the prospective participants, something
that Is mdnitestly unnecessary in the case
of d floral parade. where ability to drive
horses or motor car Is almost the sole
requisite.
Finally it has been declared, apparently
with some foundation. that no other city
can hope TO vie with New Orleans in
the field where she was a pioneer II is
not merely the prestige that rightfuly
belongs TO originator that holds her
unique, but seemingly 1t is something in
the very atmosphere of the old Creole
city that gives her spectacles a flavor not
found in counterparts elsewhere Other
American cities have copied the New
Orleans type of entertainment in the suse
of yeiled prophet professions and other
variations. but none of these displays. not
even those in St. Louis and Cincinnati,
have won the fame that attaches TO those
al the Louisiana metropolis and some
cities that took up such projects have
abandoned them altogether. The flower
carnivals, on the other hand are not re-
stricted by precedent or practice TO any
one locality.
II IS generally accepted that the floral
spectacles in their present form originat-
ed III southern France and Italy, particu-
larry at such popular resorts as Nice and
Monte Carlo, where the great floral pa
geants are up to the present time, the
principal events of each season" At
many OF the watering places on the A1edi-
terranean the floral pageant is supple
mented by q battle of flowers" which
is in fact. as well as in name floral
sham battle and in which everybody may
participate. THESE battles of flowers have
not been introduced to any extent in
America for all that the floral parade it
self has been SO literally transplanted.
However. there would seem to be no good
reason why these battles of flowers might
not be given an American version. for
they are very similar TO that wholesale
shoWerlng of confetti by street tffones
which has been made an adjunct of car
nlVais in many American cities There is
OF course. the difference that in the bat
ties of flowers blossoms of one kird ~,
another are tossed back and forth be-
tween the passers-by instead of the mis-
slles being the tiny bits of colored paper
known as confetti
In the United States various communi-
ties have adopted the flower festival reyu-
larly or intermttently as means Of e,-
phasizng their attractions For tr,e
most part. however. these spectacles have
gained vogue in the smaller cities ANA
towns. particularly those which are rar
osnzed as resort communities or enioy -
kindly climate. For instance, Honoi,l,
in the Hawaiian Islands holds each vaar
q floral parade that is one of the finest
10 be seen anywhere in the world. ShouId
Washington adopt the idea OF an ANIMAL
floral fete il would be one of the first of
the large cities to institute this form of
celebration. 1t can find an object lesson
as To the benefits to be derived however
in the experience of Portland. Oregon
which city will hold its annual festival of
roses this year from June to June L.
Portland was so impressed with the ad-
vantages of the publicity she derived
from the Lewis and Clark exposition held
a few ears ago that her public spirited
ritiZeus determined 10 make her annual
rose festival serve something of the same