A Priests of Pallas parade float with an elaborate framework of lights, flowers and comely young women is pictured in color on a postcard commemorating the 1909 festivities. Sets of 15 postcards of these parades were published each fall. There was a different theme each year. Night in its somber hue never grows dark in KANSAS CITY is the caption on this card. The parade and fall festivities originated with the Flambeau Club, a public-spirited organization of the early '80s. It was composed of leading young businessmen of the town, and while it was organized as a political club it was non-partisan in its efforts to advance the interests of Kansas City. In the winter of 1886-87 a committee of three, L.R. Irwin, J.E. Herrick and E.M. Clending, was appointed to go to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and to make plans for a more ambitious Kansas City parade and fall celebration. In 1887 the first Priests of Pallas parade was held. Crowds came from nearby towns. Hotels were filled to capacity. Some even installed cots to take care of visitors. The festivities for 1909, according to the legend on the back of the postcard, included: Grand Electrical Parade, Tuesday Oct. 5th; Grand P.O.P. Ball, Wednesday, Oct. 6th; Grand Bal Masque, Friday Oct. 8th; Opera Pinafore (300 trained singers) Oct. 7th and 9th and Continuing in Convention Hall during entire week, Commencing Monday Oct. 11th. Other attractions. Come!One young lady riding in the float, now in her 90s, wrote this description of preparations from her present Wornall Road apartment: I rode in these parades from 1907 through 1912 and danced in Georgia Brown's ballet at both the formal ball and the Masquerade. I was 'Giant Lily' in the flower theme and 'Jack the Giant Killer' in the fairy tale theme. I was in school then and the day of the parade, all the girls riding in the pageant had to be at the old car barn on East Ninth by 4 p.m. We had a nice dinner then went into makeup booths and finally into our costumes. What fun, and then we would cross our fingers, hoping we would be chosen for the center figure on the float, which I was fortunate enough to be on two occasions. We may be living in the greatest era of our 200 years, but not the most fun years. Thanks for bringing them back. Gracia Bremer. Kansas City Times, October 6, 1989.
Reproduction (printing, downloading, or copying) of images from Kansas City Public Library requires permission and payment for the following uses, whether digital or print: publication; reproduction of multiple copies; personal, non-educational purposes; and advertising or commercial purposes. Please order prints or digital files and pay use fees through this website. All images must be properly credited to: "Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri." Images and texts may be reproduced without prior permission only for purposes of temporary, private study, scholarship, or research. Those using these images and texts assume all responsibility for questions of copyright and privacy that may arise.
