What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

 

Tom Coston led about a dozen Pasadena Museum of History docents in a tour yesterday of the new exhibition "What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been: 35 Years of the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade."

I'm not a docent but came along for the ride anyway.

The collection winds around a large exhibition space and includes many more elements than what I'm showing you below. So get to the museum and check it out!

There are many costumes, including these two: On the left are the jacket and sombrero worn, each on separate occasions, by Andrew the Duke of Doo Dah and on the right is the dress worn by 2009 Doo Dah Queen Skittles, AKA Julie Klima.

And of course there are costumes and memorabilia from truly iconic parade entries, including (left to right) the Synchronized Briefcase Drill Team, the Invisible Man Marching Band, the Lounge Lizards. . .

...and the Barbecue and Hibachi Marching Grill Team.

A fun little section invites visitors to sit on beach chairs to have their photos taken, as if sitting curbside at a Doo Dah Parade.

This chest is filled with dozens of Julie Klima's photos of Doo Dah Parade queens and grand marshals through the years. Hey, who's that with the rose in her teeth?

  

Here's the hat worn by beloved Jirayr (Jerry) Zorthian when he was grand marshal of the 1997 Doo Dah Parade. He passed away in 2004 at 92 and his memorial service at the ranch was a truly beautiful experience.

The Pasadena Doo Dah Parade was conceived in 1976 in Chromo's Bar, which is replicated at the exhibition. When you go inside, you'll see the walls lined with memorabilia and a wide screen TV that loops video of past Doo Dah Parades.

Do you have a favorite Doo Dah photo or remembrance that you'd like to include in the exhibition? Bring it to the museum and put it on the bulletin board!

There's so much more to the exhibition that I haven't included here, mostly because I want everyone to get there and see it in its entirety. Go!