Grand Floral Parade organizers take safety precautions after 2023 incident

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Thousands of people flock to the streets of Portland each year to see the floats and splendor of the Grand Floral Parade. But while fun is had by all, safety remains the top priority for parade organizers and local police.

The Portland Police Bureau said they have been strategizing and planning for months for anything that could happen – hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

“It’s really a great opportunity for us to connect with the community, but it’s also an opportunity for us to have a presence there so that if there are any disruptions or problems of any kind, we have the resources to take care of it,” said PPB spokesman Sergeant Kevin Allen.

Last year Vehicle broke through the barriers and drove into the parade route. Dashcam video shows the driver almost missing people on the road as he drives through the street lined with spectators.

Officers managed to remove the driver from the parade route and take him into custody. Now, however, they must prevent such an incident from happening again.

“They’re there on motorcycles as usual and in vehicles as well. When we close the parade route, we’ll have police cars there. We’ll have police on bicycles. We’ll have police on ATVs and also in side-by-side vehicles,” Allen said. “We also know that we’ll be setting up barricades strategically for the closure.”

Nick Brodnick, COO of the Portland Rose Festival Foundation, said they are hiring more volunteers to help ensure parade safety.

“Just like anywhere in the city, be aware of your surroundings,” Brodnick said. “We’re all here to celebrate, and we want everyone to have a good time and feel safe.”

Organizers said the parade’s route will be changed to the east side of the Willamette River in 2024 for permitting reasons, but they hope the parade can return to downtown Portland in the future.