Queens
In Portland we have two kinds of queens: one wears a gown and travels through the streets of Portland on a floral float, and one wears a gown and travels through the streets of Portland in high heels.
Rose Festival queens and drag queens!
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A queen in the 1960s |
What's different about the Rose Festival court is that it's not a beauty contest. The judges select the "Queen of Rosaria" mostly based on her achievements. Boys participate in the festival by being selected as drivers for the princesses.
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The court in recent years |
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Rose Festival Queens Walk in Washington Park |
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Darcelle (on right) with friends |
If you're not going to a show at Darcelle, one of the best places to see Portland's drag queens out in the open is at the Portland Pride Parade. Apparently we also have a Thai restaurant (Asian fusion) that has all drag queen waitstaff! We have a lot of queens, but we have a shortage of drag kings...
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Portland Pride |
Quimby
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Ramona sculture in Grant Park |
Her first book was Henry Huggins, published in 1950, about a boy who lived on Klickitat Street in Portland. Beezus and Ramona came next--the Quimby sisters--published in 1955. Cleary went on to write seven additional Ramona stories, along with many other books.
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The author reading Ramona |
Portland has honored Beverly Cleary (who is still alive) by naming a school after her, creating a sculpture garden in Grant Park (near Klickitat Street), naming the Central Library's children's library after her, and celebrating Beverly Cleary Month at the library. You can also take a Beverly Cleary tour.
Love Beverly Cleary! We don't see many drag queens in the middle of Missouri except on Halloween. No offense intended. Just the way it is.
ReplyDeleteHaha--yes, I imagine we have more drag queens here than in Missouri!
DeleteI didn't know that about Ramona or Beverly Cleary. I live in Washington state now, but growing up in Southern California, I assumed Klickitat was a wonderfully fictional name. Now I need to visit that statue.
ReplyDeleteYes--you should! Thanks for stopping by!
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