The 2013 Doo Dah Parade – Are You Experienced?

all hail the queen -photos by terry miller

Doo Dah Delivers Devilish Delights

By Terry Miller
The 36th Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade this Saturday was one for the record books, once again. What better way to start your weekend than with flying tortillas, scantily clad women terrific music by the ever popular Horses on Astro Turf and Snotty Scotty – all this and above normal temperatures to keep you thirsty for those post parade parties.
Susann Edmonds , the 2013 Doo Dah Queen with Grand Marshall Alan Zorthian, and his goat helped send-up all parades of note around the world. Meanwhile Queens, past present and future took to the trolley for a trip down mammary lane.
A Moveable Feast (based on a Hemingway novel) made their second appearance this year along with Jimi Hendrix and, of course Girl Scout cookie man. Hmmm, not sure about this chap but he did seem to look rather official.
It’s not often you get a chance to see flying babies, but this particular entry was rather popular once again as was the bearded ladies .
Less spooky and more kooky this year, the Doo Dah parade organizers have a hell of a job each year putting on this creative endeavor. You gotta hand it to Tom Coston and Patty Hurley for pulling this off each year. Having to deal with Pasadena’s ever-growing list of restrictions, regulations and seemingly never ending red tape, LightBringer Project somehow manages to show the world that it CAN be done.
A few mechanical letdowns lent an unexpected slowdown at times but nothing serious. Luckily many able –bodied men and women helped move the cars out of the parade’s main drag on Colorado to allow for Red Rosie to shine on a borrowed bike.And then there was this Jimi chap who wanted to know if we were experienced:

Visual Artists Group, founded to support freedom of expression following the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, had the only serious entry in the Doo Dah parade: The Great Firewall of China Marching Brigade; a protest over the continuing industrial filth and pollution of Huangpu River in China.

Visual Artists Group President Ann Lau, who held a megaphone, explained what is happening in China. Lau was one of those responsible for the media attention protesting the 2008 Rose Parade’s inclusion of a Chinese float.
Social satire and serious issues such as human rights violations have always blended well with Doo Dah’s philosophy. There are no restrictions and just about anything goes – providing Pasadena’s finest don’t catch you.
Several thousand ( okay, I tend to exaggerate)… a few “ after parties,” Doo Dah 2013 really hit the spot for those with a taste for something utterly preposterous and delightfully different. I hear, if you were fortunate enough to make it, The Altadena Ale House hosted a special Queen’s Party where people were not only pulling pork but also your leg about one thing or another. And to me, this sums up Doo Dah .
Random acts of silliness, combined with outrageous creativity, a sprinkling of excellent to very poor taste and knee-slapping humor blended very nicely to make 2013 Doo Dah parade most memorable to hit my funny bone in years.
One of the more popular entries was the toaster car…see pictures on our website for visual aid. Driven by chefs, two giant slices of toast appeared to come out of the roof of one of those ugly square cars that you see just about everywhere.
Count Smokula, a regular fixture at the parade, didn’t disappoint and Uncle Fester was up to his old tricks.
The “Happy Ending” massage entry was truly silly and the VW gorilla was a gas.

Photographs by Terry Miller

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