parade and junior court. It became an official part of the Rose Festival in 1936. The festival's annual Junior Parade takes place in the city's Hollywood district. The Junior Parade has grown to an event involving nearly 10,000 children, making it the world's largest parade for children. During Fleet Week, ships from United States Navy, Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers and the Royal Canadian Navy dock along the seawall of Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The festival also hosts the Starlight Parade, a fireworks display, and carnival rides along the Portland waterfront, among other events. Dragon boat races on the Willamette River have been included every year since 1989. The Golden Rose Ski Classic is an annual ski race originating in 1936. It is the oldest known organized ski race in America, and is the only USSA-sanctioned summer race. An air show was added to the Rose Festival in 1988 and remained part of the festival through 2002. Held at the Hillsboro Airport, it was named the Rose Festival Air Show, with the name generally preceded by a sponsor's name, but after the 2002 and 15th show the Rose Festival Association decided to discontinue its relationship with the event. In 2003, the show was reorganized as the Oregon International Air Show, with different sponsors and no longer a Rose Festival event. No festival was held in 1917 and 1918 because of World War I and from 1942 through 1945 because of World War II. From 2007 to 2016, the festival began with the 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade. The parade was cancelled in 2017, but returned in 2018. COVID-19 pandemic concerns canceled the 2020 and 2021 parades, but the parade would return in 2022. Awards 2007, 2011: the International Festivals and Events Association named the Portland Rose Festival the best in the world See also Portland Gold Medal Royal Rosarians References External links Official site 1907 establishments in Oregon Annual events in Portland, Oregon Festivals in Portland, Oregon Parades in the United States Recurring events established in 1907 June events Flower festivals in the United States Festivals established in 1907 Tom McCall Waterfront Park