Here’s a glimpse at some of the parades commemorating celebrations in Valley communities:
July 5, 1965
Freedom Season Parade in Woodland Hills, float by the Independence Bank of Canoga Park
October 2, 1961
Parade on the runway at the Van Nuys Airport, men of the 146th Air Transport Wing made the transition from guardsmen to active airmen
April 21, 1965
Leilanai Porter, a contestant in the Jaycee 'Miss Canoga Park beauty pageant, helps Andy Sterns, one of sponsors, call attention to Canoga Park's Holiday-at-Home parade
September 17, 1962
Beauty contest entrants in Canoga Park's 50th anniversary celebration
November 23, 1964
Queen Jan Sewall in Valley State College annual Homecoming parade, Northridge
January 20, 1958
Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz in annual Sunland-Tujunga March of Dimes Parade down Foothill Blvd.
February 28, 1955
Sun Valley Rotary Club motorcade marking 50th anniversary of Rotary International
September 24, 1956
Burbank Police Boys Band leads Shrine parade
June 15, 1959
Carla Schoonhoven, Queen of Chatsworth's 72nd anniversary celebration
June 22, 1959
John Glenn, president of Northridge Kiwanis Club, with queen contestants for annual Northridge Stampede parade and barbecue
November 11, 1963
Legionnaires carry flags of their units in Veterans Day parade, Studio City
February 23, 1948
'Welcome Chevrolet' parade, part of festivities marking the public opening of the Chevrolet plant in Van Nuys
June 8, 1959
Queen Sharon Farnon and her court of princesses of San Fernando's 25th annual fiesta
December 2, 1963
Children's costume parade for Peachland Avenue School's PTA Carnival
June 5, 1961
Clown John McGuire in parade for annual Fiesta de Granada, Granada Hills
June 28, 1965
Freedom Season Children's Parade on Shoup Ave, Woodland Hills
June 12, 1948
West Valley Army-Air Force parade, Van Nuys
May 8, 1961
Susan Holloway, Thousand Oaks, was one of more than 100 entries in Conejo Valley Days' Parade
Many images of the unique Bethlehem Star Parade have been recently added to the Photo Collection. The Bethlehem Star Parade was a “pageant on wheels” that traveled down Van Nuys Blvd. each Christmas season. Beginning in 1948, floats depicting the nativity were sponsored by Valley churches and civic organizations and built by volunteers in tents set up in Van Nuys. This annual tradition lasted 21 years, and thousands of people watched the 38 floats, featuring tableaus of paper mache sets, costumed characters and live animals, either in person or the television broadcast on KCOP. The parade was cancelled in the late 1960’s. According to the parade’s founder and coordinator James G. Moran, this was due to lack of finances, dwindling interest from the community, and fewer entries from churches.
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Roman soldier from the float of the Van Nuys Missionary Church combs out Jesus' beard, December 5, 1953
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Journey to Bethlehem float by the Van Nuys Presbyterian Church, December 7, 1953
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Three Wise Men float, Van Nuys Church of the Nazarene, November 26, 1959
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Manger scene - First prize in Valley Times Photo Contest, J. W. Merritt, December 24, 1956
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First Baptist Church of Van Nuys float, November 26, 1959
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Central Lutheran Church of Van Nuys float, photo by Jeff Goldwater, 1962
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Volunteers in tent on Van Nuys and Magnolia boulevards, December 6, 1956
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Kids preparing float, photo by George Brich, December 24, 1962
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Holy Family, from First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Van Nuys, December 2, 1963
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Spectators, December 7, 1959
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Roy Rogers, grand marshal, and Dale Evans, December 27, 1953
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Child in the Manger float from the Congregational Church of the Chimes in Van Nuys, December 11, 1961
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Board members of Bethlehem Star Parade Association pitch tent, photo by George Brich, November 21, 1960
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Actor Kay Kuter makes up Valley College student, photo by George Brich, December 2, 1964
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The Good Samaritan by Calvary Baptist Church, Pacoima, photo by Jeff Goldwater, 1962
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Mayor Samuel Yorty, grand marshal, with Mrs. Yorty, photo by Jeff Goldwater, December 2, 1962
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Volunteers from Van Nuys First Lutheran Church, photo by Bob Martin, December 4, 1964
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Float by First Presbyterian Church, Encino, on Van Nuys Blvd. and Calvert St. Photo by Jeff Goldwater, 1962
Looking for Ms Canoga park contest either 1960 or 1961
Hi Charlotte, Images relating to Miss Canoga park have been digitized and can be viewed on the Los Angeles Public Library’s webite: http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/DoSearch?databaseID=968&count=10&terms=%22miss+canoga+park%22&index=w
Where are pictures of the Northridge Stampede from the 60’s Dr Fishbec marched with it also brownies and Boy Scouts, children from the community dressed up animals and their horses,
Monty Montana was always a big hit