What is your favorite Rose Festival event? Court princesses weigh in

Published 12:15 am Thursday, May 22, 2025

The 2025 Rose Festival Court has been busy with community events and socializing, preparing for the Queen’s Coronation at 11 a.m. Friday, June 6 at Oregon Square, Northeast Eighth Avenue/Holladay Street), and the Grand Floral Parade, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 7.

The court is comprised of 15 young women from Portland-area high schools, and each princess is asked a lot of questions as part of the process.

The Court: Avari Brocker, La Salle; Addie Glem, Century; Isa Halle, Franklin; Ivette Hernandez, Parkrose; Eleanor Isles, Grant; Sabrina Johnson, Cleveland; Esther Lian, St. Mary’s Academy; Brenda Martinez De Jesus, Benson; Kathy Nguyen, McDaniel; Meerali Patel, Central Catholic; Ava Rathi, Lincoln; Jayden Rendon-Ramirez, David Douglas; Sivan Safran, Ida B. Wells; Janiya Thompson, Jefferson; Gloria Zawadi, Roosevelt.

As we embark on the 2025 Rose Festival, what are some of their favorite Rose Festival events? Some responses:

CityFair (each weekend)
Kathy Nguyen, McDaniel: “CityFair fills my springtime with fun rides, delicious food, and live music, making these events a beloved part of my childhood and what makes Portland special.”

Gloria Zawadi, Roosevelt: “CityFair, because of the fun rides and amazing carnival food they serve. I love being surrounded by the beauty of the waterfront’s scenery while enjoying the bustling of downtown Portland. CityFair is the perfect mixture of some of my favorite things, delicious food, music, and fun. With entertainment with performances from local Portland artists, it highlights the arts and makes me fall in love with Portland all over again.”

Starlight Parade (Saturday, May 31)
Janiya Thompson, Jefferson: “The Starlight Parade has always been iconic and engraved in my mind. Before I moved to Portland I remember being brought to the parade on my visits and it was always a highlight of the trip. It’s Portland at its most enchanting and wholesome. It reminds you what a place of opportunity and community our Rose City is.”

Meerali Patel, Central Catholic: “When I was younger my grandma and I would watch the Starlight Parade every year. She was amazed by the beautiful lights, the bands and the overall mysticism of the event. My grandmother first moved to America in the ‘80s and would tell me how every year when the Starlight Parade was in town that she always loved how beautiful it was.”

Addie Glem, Century: “This parade is unbelievably special to me because I went almost every year with my Nana before she sadly passed away in 2023. She was a former Horizon Air employee so we always sat in the Alaska valet section. I have fond memories of playing in the street before the parade started, cheering on the runners in fun costumes, and when it finally got dark, the dazzling parade.”

Fred Meyer Junior Parade (Wednesday, June 4)
Eleanor Isles, Grant: “The Junior Parade — some of my greatest memories came from watching the parade or marching in it with my Girl Scout troop.”

Brenda Martinez De Jesus, Benson: “I remember I participated in it one time when I was in middle school. I was part of the band and I remember like if it was yesterday. I remember being so excited just to walk where everyone else did. I felt famous and I remember feeling so happy and grateful for the opportunity.”

Isa Halle, Franklin: “It has always been hosted near my mom’s house in Northeast Portland and I have fond memories of watching the parade when I was little. Now that I am older I am able to watch the parade through a new lens and experience the childhood wonder from an outside perspective.”

Grand Floral Parade (Saturday, June 7)
Sabrina Johnson, Cleveland: “The Grand Floral Parade is one of the first I attended with my family after moving to Portland, giving me a true sense of the city’s beauty, warmth, and festive spirit. It introduced me to the Rose Festival Court and other wonderful aspects of Portland, making the parade a meaningful reflection of all the things I’ve come to love about this city.”

Ava Rathi, Lincoln: “I love how it creates so much community spirit as well as this palpable sense of excitement and tradition. I think the parade is a fun and inclusive celebration of Portland.”

Jayden Rendon-Ramirez, David Douglas: “I remember when I was younger each year me and my sister would watch the parade on television. Watching the vibrant floats, marching bands, and colorful costumes always left a lasing impression on me. It’s a beautiful celebration of unity, diversity, and representation that truly captures the spirit of Portland.”

Dragon Boat Races (Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8)
Sivan Safran, Ida B. Wells: “I love the Rose Festival because it serves as my official ritual heralding in summer. It’s an almost sacred celebration and reminder of how beautiful our city is when it isn’t being drenched with rain or engulfed by fog. Out of all of the events, one has always stood out to me – the Dragon Boat Races. As a kid I remember rushing to the riverfront just to catch a glimpse of the fleet of ornate boats gliding over the smooth water.”

Milk Carton Boat Race (Sunday, June 22)
Avari Brocker, La Salle: “I have been interested in boats made out of unusual material ever since I heard about the concrete canoe engineering challenge at my aunt’s college.”

For more on Rose Festival events: rosefestival.org.