[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE TUCSON RODEO PARADE--``LA FIESTA DE 
                             LOS VAQUEROS''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 2010

  Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Tucson 
Rodeo Parade which on Thursday celebrates its 85th anniversary. The 
Parade Grand Marshall is James ``Big Jim'' Griffith, beloved 
storyteller, musician, and folklorist and a Tucson tradition in his own 
right.
  Known as ``La Fiesta de los Vaqueros,'' the parade is a time-honored 
tradition for thousands of residents and visitors. It is a much-
anticipated community event that reminds us of our past as a region 
shaped by the independence, drive, and determination of cowboys and 
cowgirls.
  The Tucson Rodeo Parade first was held on Saturday, February 21, 
1925. Arizona had been a State for only 13 years, and Tucson was still 
very much a rough and tumble community on the edge of the American 
frontier. My hometown and home State were very different places 85 
years ago. All of Arizona back then had a population smaller than 
Tucson is today.
  The inaugural Rodeo Parade rolled through downtown Tucson the same 
year the city purchased 1,280 acres on its cactus-studded outskirts for 
a municipal airport. This swath of desert would, in just a few short 
years, become the home of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, one of our 
Nation's premier military installations.
  Prizes for entrants in the first parade, long before air conditioning 
or the modern supermarket, included a 750-pound block of ice, 100 
pounds of potatoes and a ``Big Cactus'' ham.
  This colorful and exciting parade continues today as a kickoff for 
the Tucson Rodeo. The parade is a salute to southern Arizona's rich 
ranching history and our community's close ties with Mexico. With the 
nickname of ``La Fiesta de los Vaqueros,'' the rodeo and the parade are 
a true ``party of the cowboys.''
  The Tucson Rodeo Parade keeps alive the spirit of that first parade. 
It long has been known as ``The Largest Non-Motorized Parade'' in the 
country and achieves its success through strong community participation 
and the commitment of the Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee.
  The Tucson Rodeo Parade has become such a cherished event that 
schoolchildren long have been given the day off so they can attend the 
festivities. In offices and work places all across Tucson jeans and 
cowboy boots are acceptable attire on parade day.
  As a third generation southern Arizonan, I am proud to recognize the 
Tucson Rodeo Parade on its 85th anniversary and to commend the Tucson 
Rodeo Parade Committee for sustaining this wonderful tradition. 

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