The May Festival

I was reading a local history website http://www.octhen.com/ and was reminded about the May Festival and Parade that used to happen every spring in Orange, CA.


I grew up in Orange/Santa Ana and always went to the May Festival and parade.
In fact, as a member of the first graduating class of El Modena High School, I cajoled my peers into creating a "float", (really a flat bed truck that we decorated with posters and crepe paper) promoting our 20 year reunion in the very last May Festival Parade, 1988. It was great fun.

I believe the first time I was in that parade was while I was a songleader at McPherson Junior High. We were the "Celtics" then and wore red plaid skirts to prove it!

The parade started on east Chapman and went around the Plaza and south on Glassell to Hart Park, if memory serves. The bands all assembled in Hart Park to receive their parade awards. There were lots of booths, low-key carnival games, and a ferris wheel. The whole thing was organized by the Jay Cees (Junior Chamber of Commerce)...too bad parades are so expensive! Spring is the perfect time for one!