Saturday’s 81st Rhododendron Festival Grand Parade starts at 1 p.m. in Uptown on Lawrence Street at the fire hall, proceeds downhill to Monroe Street and then to Water Street, turning to an end on Adams Street.

Spectators, especially those along the Monroe Street hill and downtown, are asked not to leave too early, even if there are gaps in the parade. (With marching bands, which do stop and perform along the way, gaps between units are inevitable.) When the Cake Picnic contingent appears, followed by the DM Disposal garbage truck, the parade is over.

Spectators can then follow the Grand Parade downtown to Pope Marine Park and the fourth annual Cake Picnic: 2,000 slices of free cake, a dance party and a tug-of-war contest.

CHECK IN

Stop! All Grand Parade units must check in between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the sign-up desk at the former visitor center on Sims Way (you can't miss it as you drive into Port Townsend past the boatyard) to receive an entry number and parking space staging.

Neighborhood residents and businesses are thanked in advance for their cooperation during this busy day on the side streets adjacent to the parade route.

JUDGING

Lining up early is important. Floats are judged starting at 10 a.m., and the judging of other entries takes place from 11 a.m. to about noon during lineup; awards are presented at the starting line. Bands and drill teams are rated by judges along the parade route. Bonus points are awarded to all units that include rhododendrons in their decorations.

OUR ENTRIES

This is the Grand Parade lineup as of May 16. Late entries could be added toward the parade's end. Please remember to show your appreciation and give all parade participants your applause!

PRE-PARADE

Tenino Motorcycle Drill Team

GRAND PARADE

1 East Jefferson Fire Rescue

2 Port Townsend Police Department

3 Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Dave Stanko

4 American Legion Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 Color Guard

5 Port Townsend High School Band

6 Grand Marshal Jim "Kiwi" Ferris, Edensaw Woods

7 81st Rhododendron Festival float with Queen Fiona Shaffer, Princess Morgan Wilford and Princess Kayla Calhoun

8 Rhody Fest Ambassador Eryn Reierson

9 Rhody Fest Queen's Court: Marissa Kieffer, Te Amo Lanphear-Ramirez and Jenessah Seebergoss

10 Rhody Junior Royalty on George Earl Memorial Kiwanis Choo Choo: first-graders Pierce Edgar, Lily Justis, Lorelei Turner, John Neville, Tim Manly Jr. and Miranda Banker

11 Port Townsend Senior Royalty Jim and Karen Pate

12 Tri-Area Senior Royalty Hester McKinney-Cumming and Greg Vinson

13 Naval Magazine Indian Island Cmdr. Nicolas Vande Griend

14 Marrowstone Island Citizen of the Year Mike Zimmerman

15 Rhody Fest Weekly Event Winners

16 Peninsula Hearing

17 Sunfield Land for Learning

18 Chimacum Middle School Band

19 Life Care Center of Port Townsend

20 Port Townsend High School Alumni Association

21 Marysville Strawberry Festival

22 Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County

23 Rakers Car Club

24 Jefferson Healthcare

25 Wells Fargo Stagecoach

26 Peninsula Midwives

27 Elect Tim Thomas, County Commissioner

28 Key City Fish Co.

29 White River High School Band

30 Arrow Lumber

31 Unexpected Brass Band

32 KPTZ-FM Radio

33 Washington State Apple Blossom Festival

34 Jefferson County Fair

35 Totem Middle School Band

36 Rhody Run, Port Townsend Marathon Association

37 Port Townsend Braves Youth Football

38 Elect Mike Chapman, 24th District Representative

39 Clan Gordon Pipe Band

40 Port Orchard Fathoms O' Fun Festival

41 Ukuleles Unite

42 The Church United

43 Jefferson County Historical Society

44 Port Angeles High School Band

45 Clallam County Fair Royalty

46 Port Townsend Street Ministry

47 Thunderbird Rodeo

48 First Federal Bank

49 Port Townsend Elks Lodge 317

50 Interlake High School Band & Drill/Flag Team

51 Kitsap Mustang Car Club

52 Port Townsend Main Street "Taste of PT"

53 The Quimper Corgi Clan

54 Forks Old Fashioned 4th of July Festival

55 Meridian Middle School Band & Color Guard

56 Elect Bill Bryant, Governor

57 Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce

58 Jefferson Transit

59 Relay for Life of Jefferson County (July 16-17)

60 Sumner High School Band & Drill Team

61 The Station Signs & Screen Printing

62 Les Schwab Tire Center

63 Capital Lakefair Festival

64 Carl's Building Supply

65 Late entry

66 Jefferson County PUD

67 Key City Public Theatre

68 Classical Glass Corvette Club

69 Elect Jeff Randall for PUD Commissioner

70 QFC Quality Food Centers, Port Hadlock & Port Townsend

71 Jefferson County Public Health

72 Sequim Irrigation Festival

73 O'Meara Performing Arts Academy

74 Real American Pageants

75 Tumwater Middle School Band & Color Guard

76 Port Townsend Cub Scout Pack 4477

77 St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church

78 Port Townsend School of the Arts

79 Double Wide Hunting Lodge

80 First Robotics Team No. 4918

81 Ingraham High School Band

82 Hadlock Motel

83 Hadlock Building Supply

84 San Juan Baptist Church

85 The Boiler Room

86 Chimacum High School Band & Color Guard

87 Olympic Community Action Programs

88 Centrum Arts Foundation

89 Daffodil Festival

90 Jefferson County Democrats

91 Meridian High School Band

92 Daughters of the American Revolution

93 Rainer Classic Chevy Club

94 The Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Skulpture Race

95 Squalicum High School Band

96 Mason County Forest Festival

97 Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club

98 American Red Cross

99 United Good Neighbors of Jefferson County

100 Ferndale High School/Middle School Band

101 Re-elect Keith Harper, Superior Court Judge

102 Cake Picnic (free slices, music downtown after parade)

103 DM Disposal