Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-25

ia GIL tiValS have become increasingly
lM III popular, and each season iihds
IN El new cities added TO the list of
lEN El those already noted for their
EEE6a) efforts in this direction. 1t is
not strange that Southern Call
fornia. with its glorious sunshine anu
ever blossoming plants, should lead IN
these festivals. Pasadena, tucked
snugly away in the foothills, has be-
come famous for its festivals on New
Years day, at which time II is Mecca
for fugitives from Jack Frost in the
east and north.
The Pasadena festival is divided into
three parasitic parade i'm the early
afternoon. the races directly following
and a grand ball i'm the evening. the
parade is often over a mile long, each
carriage, automobile and float being
actually buried under its load of flow
ers of every kind and hue. sixty
thousand violets and 5000 carnations
have been used i'm decorating single
float in one of these parades. Hardly
less of an attraction is the chariot race,
which is a careful reproduction of those
held in Rome and Athens.
The festivals in the Santa Clara val
ley deserve a place by themselves.
Here the white blossoms of the plum
trees and the delicate pink of the peach
blooms FORM Il perfect Std VI bcehuNS
for about two weeks in the spring.
The festival commences in the little
foothill village of Saratoga, where the
first wave of bloom begins, and as the
wave sweeps on down the valley, each
/ little village takes its turn at celebrat-
ing blossom day" The principal
feature is a drive through the blossom
covered streets. whore young girls DOM
bard each passing vehicle with flowers.
l I'll Of n
pressed into service and visitors are
treated TO unique and most beautiful
! spectacle. As IL depends upon the
season, the date of the event iluctuates.
| the earliest it has been celebrated
being March IS, and the latest April 4.
As a sharp contrast to these days OF
pleasure in California Is the custom
carried out in Mexico on All saints
day. All the cemeteries are filed with
peoplc who camp out, covering the
graves of their departed with floral
tokens. and aftcrward eating picnic
| luneheons on the dead tables spread
! for the occasion The day Is not IN
! tended to be one of pleasure, but 1t
nevertheless assumes that aspect for
those who see 1t for the first time.
Promptly at noon on the 18th of
! last June President Taft pressed the
button which officially opened the third
annual rose festival at Portland, ore,
and the reign of the rose king began.
| The festival lasted six days and was
| turned into a time of general merry
making. Automobile, horse and spirit
of the west" parades Wed with one an
other in their splcndor. In all the pa
rades the vehicles and floats were
beautifully decorated with blooms,
while Portland further showed its
ability to raise beautiful roses in a
competitive exhibition which was held
in the California building at the fair
grounds. \ few days previous To the
opening Of the festival a bouquet made
up of the choicest roses to be found
in the Rose city" was sent to Wash
ington to be presented to the president
by Senators Bourne and Chamberlain
shortly before he pressed the button.
on account of its myriad Of wild
! flowers Colorado has a continual fes-
! tival that is provided by nature. In
! Ute pass and in many other regions
great meadows are covered with brill
! liant, primitive blossoms. During the
! summer the railroads run weekly
wild flower excursions" for the bene-
! fit of the tourists. Open observation
| cars are used and frequent stops are
made in order that the passengers may
gather flowers and take pictures.
! As far distant as is Asbury Park
! from New Orleans, both as to miles
and social customs, the annual festi-
val in the great resort is a growth of
the Mardi Gras idea. Asbury Park ter
inmates each season with a grand car
| nival, with Queen Titania and Prince
! Charming duly surrounded by their
| court of beauty. ON this occasion the
/ baby parade forms the principal feat
ure and the walks are lined with thou
| sands Of people. who cheer as the tots