2006 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade

The Original, Occasional, and Eccentric Pasadena Doo Dah Parade Celebrates its 30 Year Anniversary, and our American Laughter Clubs Delegation will be a proud part of it!

Over 1,500 participants in over 100 entries will appear in Pasadena Doo Dah's 30th Occasional Anniversary. America's favorite "other parade," known for its colorful and irreverent satire is a spoof on the New Year's Day Rose Parade. 45,000 typically attend the annual pre-Thanksgiving event, which was named by The Reader's Digest as the Nation's Best Parade in 2004.

Click here to visit the Doo Dah Parade's official website

See Our Own Photo Album

Here is the plan:

1. We regroup between 9:30am and 10:00am and have a 1h laughter club session in the waiting area BEFORE the event to attract the attention of roaming journalists & TVs, as well of course as help us and all the other participants to warm up for their act.
2. We march the 1 mile stretch carrying signs saying "Laugh For No Reason", "Laughter Is The Best Medicine", "Laugh First Think Later", "Laughing Is Ha Ha Ha Healthy", etc.

That's it.

Interested? Great! There is no pre-requisite beyond that of being committed to smile a lot (and of course laugh if you feel like it). We will gather afterwards in a local park for a picnic (bring to share) and an afternoon of fun and non-competitive games.

Before The Parade:

Registration Form

• All are welcome to march with us. Attendance is not conditional to being a Laughter Club member.
• You must register ahead of time! (you will not be able to register on your own on the day)
• We will gather afterwards in a local park for a picnic (bring to share) and an afternoon of fun and non-competitive games.

Registering is easy! Please send us an email at laugh@laughangeles.com or call us at 626 755 5999. We will tell you how to operate from there. Cost of entry is $10/walker. It is important for us that you do so ahead of time in order to simplify our group registration with the Parade organizers (the event security people will not allow anybody to walk without a registration sticker).

How You Can Help

ORGANIZE: The organization of this event at this point is a team effort by the Pasadena Laughter Club, and you are welcome to participate. We laugh every Friday 6-7pm at 553 S Lake Avenue (this Laughter Club meeting is free and public) and do our planning afterward at Peet's Coffee across the street. In case you cannot come, please email us your ideas. We are currently finalizing a grand plan for this march (= how to best engage 45,000 people to laugh over 1h without over-exerting ourselves with laughter)

How To Dress / What To Prepare / Bring

DRESS: You can dress in any way you like that makes you smile. Actually, the fancier, the better (after all this is a parody parade). Failing of any better idea a red nose is actually very good in itself. We usually enjoy warm excellent weather for the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, so dress for comfort. Wear tennis shoes and cool clothing.

PREPARE: We will need large (light) signs (cardboard?) for participants to carry. Can you prepare one (or more) of the following? If so please email us at laugh@laughangeles.com to let us know:

• Laughter Is The Best Medicine
• Laugh For The Health Of It
• Laughter Is Ha Ha Healthy
• Laughter Is Free - Be Generous!
• Laugh With Us!
• Everybody Can Laugh
• Live Life Laughing!
• Laugh To Love - Love To Laugh
• Laugh Your Stress Away!
• A Laugh A Day Keeps The Doctors Away
• Act Happy = Be Happy
• Live Life Fully: Laugh!
• Loosen Up: Laugh!
• Laughter Is FUNdamental

BRING: we will need 4 portable (small - battery operated) boombox to play some laughter sounds. Do you have one you could bring? If so please email us at laugh@laughangeles.com to let us know

On The Day:

How To Get There

• From the 210 and 134 freeways (going East): Exit at Fair Oaks/Marengo, turn south on Fair Oaks, left on Walnut to Raymond.
• From the 210 freeway going West: Exit at Lake Avenue and go south (left). Turn right on Walnut to Raymond.
• From the 110 (Harbor): Drive north until the freeway ends at Arroyo Parkway. Drive north to Colorado, left on Colorado, right on Raymond (2 blocks).
• By Metro: Take the Gold line to the Memorial Park Station, which will drop you off right near the beginning of the parade. For a nice walk, the Del Mar station (on Raymond) is a bit further, but is also very close.

Where To Park

There are several parking structures nearby. Please see plan above.

Where To Check In & When

We will meet in Memorial park at 9:30am, about 50-100 yard North of the Parade's starting point. Please try to be on time as we have several pre-event activities planned. The parade officially steps off at the corner of Raymond and Holly in Old Town Pasadena at 11:30am

Please note that everyone in the parade is required to wear a participant sticker and you will not be allowed in without one.

Helpful Hints

Please come earlier than later. Traffic gets worse closer to the parade (remember, lots of people are coming to see it!). your morning will be less hectic if you get there by 9:30am. There will be coffee available, and food too!

Along the route: You'll have plenty of time to interact with the crowd. You may handout materials to the crowd, but please do not throw any items or objects at or to the audience. No marsh mallows or sharp or heavy objects or items that could scratch, please.

TV/cable/independent channels, news reporters and the like will be roaming the staging area from early morning on.and the livelier Doo Dah phenomenon the better!

There will be a wide representation of television and print media covering this year's event. Last year Doo Dah was featured on all evening news and three morning network news programs, CNN and various other national (even international) outlets and television spots.

After The Parade Picnic & Afternoon Fun:

Interested participants are welcome to join us after the march for a picnic (bring to share) & afternoon fun program in Farnsworth Park, Altadena, 1pm until 4pm.