The 42nd Occasional Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena: What Did That Look Like?

The 42nd Doo Dah Parade on Colorado Boulevard in East Pasadena California on November 24, 2019.

On November 24th, a glorious Sunday in East Pasadena, folks gathered with high expectations dressed in street clothes and ludicrous costumes. They were waiting in anticipation of the 42nd running of The Pasadena Occasional Doo Dah Parade. The crowd was a mixture of participants, spectators, young, old and most specifically counter-culture in nature, all ready for a day of shenanigans and mischief.

The lure of the Occasional Doo Dah Parade is partially the irreverent and unexpected combined with a spark of color, oddly innovative creativity, mockery, and satire of the soon-approaching Rose Bowl Parade. Like other parades, there is a Queen that presides over the Parade and the day’s events. This year Queen Jesselynn Desmond held court over all the zany insanity.

Photo Gallery after the Break

The 42nd Doo Dah Parade on Colorade Boulevard in East Pasadena California on Novemebr 24, 2019.

Royalty from previous years (Doo Dah Queens and Kings) sit at the judges’ table mildly judging or simply being amused as the cavalcade of carnivalesque participants pass by. This year’s parade proved to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory. If you can imagine it–you can be it–at the Doo Dah Parade. Afterwards, there were more celebrations and after-parties to send everyone off in fine fashion for Sunday, with another year of Doo Dah as a glorious memory made.

There is a photo gallery here for your enjoyment but if you want to get the full effect of all 189 images for the parade please follow this link to my Flickr Doo Dah Parade Album.