The Portland Rose Festival had it origins in the 1904 rose show and parade, sponsored by the Portland Rose Society. After the flurry of civic boosterism during the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition, Portland businessman E. W. Rose proposed in 1906 an annual festival to include a grand floral parade and related events. In the following year, 1907, the Portland Rose Festival Association was founded. In 1912 the Royal Rosarians -- a ceremonial corps of men (with women later) -- was formed to support the program. In the mid-1920s a lavish stage production titled "Rosaria" was mounted for the first time. Additional activities were added to the Festival over the years, including a children's parade, an amateur rose show, musical peformances, an arts festival, and other entertainment. Rose Festivals have been held in June of most years since 1907 and have always featured elaborate rose-decked floats constructed by local businesses and organizations.
From the guide to the Portland Rose Festival Association records, 1907-2007, (Oregon Historical Society)
