Photos: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade through the years
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade, held as part of La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, began in 1925 and is the largest non-mechanized parade in the United States.Â
Here's a look back at the famous ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ parade and its 97-year history.Â
1934 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade along Congress Street.
1936 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade coverage in the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Little Cowpunchers riding in the 1939 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade. Victor Aros is in the front, left. Pete Aros is standing in the middle, the only one without a cowboy hat.
1940 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade at 6th Avenue and Alameda Street
The ever-popular Budweiser Clydesdales were in town in the 1940s for the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade. They made a stop at Jake's Liquor Store, located at the southeast corner of Meyer and Broadway. Jake's (for Jacobs) was owned by the Jacobs family. Edward C. Jacobs is second from left, and his dad, E.A. Jacobs, is third from left.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade heading north on Stone Avenue from Pennington Street in 1949. The historic Pioneer Hotel is at upper right.
Photo of the Davis Monthan Air Force Base Wives at the 1950 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade. Pictured in the front of the parade is Geraldine Casey.
Budd Ramsey, at right, with the bulldogs, won a prize for the most unusual entry in the 1950 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade. This photo was taken at Scott Avenue and 12th Street.
William Boyd as cowboy Hopalong Cassidy rode in the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade in 1951.
Crowds at Stone and Alameda in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for the 1951 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade
1953 Rodeo Queen Dianne Moore of the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo and Parade
The 1953 St. Mary's float for La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade featured nuns and nuns dressed as Native Americans.
Copy of Historic ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Daily Citizen. The headline reads: "Record crowd sees ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade" on Feb. 23, 1956.
The Alice Vail Jr. High School band, which was judged best in the category, heads along West Pennington Street between Stone and Church avenues in 1959 during the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade.
The Pomeroy Elementary School band marches along Congress Street in front of the Fox Theater during the 1961 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade.
Parade watchers with their 35mm rangefinder cameras and 8mm film movie cameras at the 1961 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Parade watchers hold in the chill morning air during the 1961 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
An adult keeps a boy at a safe distance during the 1961 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade on Stone Avenue in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
The 1962 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade.
The aftermath of the 1962 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Mariachis march in the 1962 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Feb. 26, 1968: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade equipment custodian Harry Blacklidge, 85 years old and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥-born, takes over the reins of the artificial horses hitched to the famous Maximilian coach as its storage site at the Parade Museum.
A young spectator blows a plastic horn as the San Xavier Women's Club entry approaches during the 1971 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade
Feb. 24, 1971: Mr. and Mrs. Otto R. Eicher (in noose) were welcomed to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s Fiesta de los Vaqueros in traditional western style, as the city's Vigilantes and Barbara Bell, a rodeo princess, told them to reach for the sky on Interstate 10 and stick around for five days, courtesy of the City of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Jaycees. The Eichers, from Sandusky, Ohio, were selected at random.
Coed Quadrille precedes the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Marching Band during the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade downtown in 1971.
Some things never change: These enthralled young rodeo fans were lined up along the Rodeo Parade route in 1972.
The rodeo parade snakes its way south on Church Avenue, turning east on Cushing Street in 1972. The then-new central fire station is at right. Empty lots in the upper left have been filled with the La Placita office complex and the Superior Court complex.
The Pride of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Marching Band, during the 1973 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade
A crowd estimated at 200,000 turned out for the 1976 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade.
Members of the U.S. 5th Calvary Troop A ceremonial regiment warms themselves by the fire before the 1976 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade
A Las Vegas Casino stage coach entry passes by the "new" La Placita Village office complex on Church Avenue during the 1977 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade.Â
Former Gov. Jack Williams, shown in the 1978 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade, is among the many dignitaries who have ridden in the "Maximilian coach." The century-old vehicle has been the subject of tall tales and controversy since it was acquired by the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade Committee in 1932.
It was a rainy and windy day in 1983 as the parade made its way along Pennington Street. Because of the tight quarters downtown, the route was moved to South Park Avenue in 1991.
A wagon driver of the Young Explorers School entry struggles to control spooked horses during the 1986 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade. A second wagon veered into the crowd, injuring at least one person.
The La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade turns the corner from 5th Avenue to 12th Street, north of Armory Park. Note the old National Guard armory building on the left side of the park. It was demolished to make way for the senior center. Also, 5th Avenue used to pass directly in front of Safford School. It now dead ends there.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Check out the action from the 2014 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade from those using #rodeodays on Twitter and Instagram.
A great day for the Rodeo Parade as ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ celebrates its cowboy heritage.Â
It's our Mardi Gras. With horses.
The 2015 La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo at Irvington Road and 6th Ave. opens on Saturday, Feb. 21 and continues through Sunday, March 1.
Star and Citizen archive photos of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo from 1961-1986.
Highlights from La Fiesta de los Vaqueros at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Grounds.
It might be breezy in the afternoon.
Highlights from La Fiesta de los Vaqueros at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Grounds.
Generations of pioneering ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ businessmen will ride in historic family wagon.
There's much more to see than the competitions
This community tradition, started in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in 1925, is the largest non-motorized parade in the country. This year, the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade is…
The rodeo is in town. Catch a contest, mosey around the museum or hit up the parade.
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Wind, rain and cold temps are in the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forecast early this week before the sun pops back out in time for the weekend.Â
Several dozen four-legged participants are put through a series of tests to see how they might handle distractions.
The new route is now south to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo grounds, but officials say it is needed to keep the parade away from the railroad lines.
A new route for the rodeo parade was needed to keep participants from having to cross the nearby railroad tracks.
Canceling the 2021 rodeo parade marks the second time in its 95-year history that it's been called off.
The rodeo made the announcement Friday, saying that it will "soon begin the process of searching for a new general manager."
Gary Williams was a bigger-than-life personality in a tidy, 5-foot-and-change frame, a cowboy for life, the kind of character you’d expect to see in a John Wayne movie at Old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Mark Baird, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo's chairman of the board, said there is "too much uncertainty to take the chance of continuing forward." Instead, rodeo officials will focus on the 2022 event, which is scheduled for the final week in February.
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade returned Feb. 24 after the 2021 parade and rodeo were postponed.Â