Everything to Know About Pasadena’s Doo Dah Parade

Car-Pool (Photo – Brian Biery)

The Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade celebrates 44 years of irreverent frolicking, returning to its original route in Old Pasadena, stepping off at 11:00 am on Sunday, November 19^th.

By News Desk

This year’s event is co-produced by Light Bringer Project, its longtime producers, and the Doo Dah Preservation Society.

– 100 entries

This year’s Doo Dah will showcase upwards of 100 parade entries of every description, including art cars, mutant vehicles, rockers, punk bands, performance artists, showstoppers, zany dancing troupes, political pundits, satirists, mad-inventor floats, and disruptors of all kinds. In fact, it’s the largest number of new entries in Doo Dah history.

Entries include:

• Vick & the Lassoed Hicks,
• The Million Mrs. Roper March,
• A Hoot in a Little Pink Suit,
• Dressed to KILL KISS Tribute Band,
• Taco Tuesdays Bicycle Club,
• Ah, The Roller Coaster of Life!,
• Urf McGurf,
• The Eye,
• Bald Bird Big Rock Band,
• To the Moon Stinky Feet,
• Disco Hitched,
• The People’s Banana,
• Estillo Scissor Hands,
• Kittylicious,
• Musicvideodrome Dancers,
• The Black Forest Gump and Everybody’s Favorite Church Mother,
• Flying Baby Home Run Border Crossing Field Goal,
• A. Breakfast Club’s Democracy of Ham & Eggs,
• Highland Park Thursday Evening’s Society Circuit Bending Marching Band and Ladies’ Auxiliary,
• Heart of Bok Choy Intergalactic Tossed Salad,
• The Church of the SubGenius End Times Procession

… And…not a rose will be harmed in the making of this parade! 

– Staging area and route

The staging area is Memorial Park in Pasadena. Doo Dah steps off at 11:00 am.  Parade begins at Raymond Ave at Holly St. and will continue south two blocks and turn right onto Colorado Blvd. Parade ends on Colorado Blvd. at Pasadena Ave. Show up early and bring a lawn chair!

– Doo Dah after-party

Immediately following the event, the official Doo Dah after-party will be held at the Old Towne Pub (enter at 34 E. Holly St.) with live music. $5 cover charge.

– Parking

Plenty of street parking is available on side streets. Many public parking lots and garages are available in Old Pasadena.

The L.A. Metro’s A Line’s Memorial Park station brings you right to the parade formation area. Pasadena Transit bus lines also come directly to the area. Consider bicycling or Ubering!

– Fun Facts:

Known as the twisted sister of the conventional Rose Parade, the Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade began as a grassroots event in 1978 with eccentric and, often, irreverent satire. The parade was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal. It was also named “America’s Best Parade” by Readers Digest, and was featured in the book 50 Places You Must Visit Before You Die.