1. By Christina DeGiovanni

2.  Building on experience as a radio host and
educator, Christina DeGiovanni is the
publisher of the Arcata, California,
community lifestyle publication The Emerald
Magazine. Christina DeGiovanni’s magazine
explores diverse aspects of life in Humboldt
County. A recent Emerald Magazine article,
entitled “Petal Power,” highlighted Eureka’s
long-running Rhododendron Parade, which
features classic cars, marching bands, and its
namesake flower.

3.  Held on the last weekend of April since 1965, the
parade begins downtown on 7th Street and makes its
way to the Eureka Mall. The state flower of
Washington and the national flower of Nepal, the
rhododendron comprises more than 1,000 distinct
species throughout the world. The first cultivated
species, the Alpine Rose, was introduced into England
from the Alps in the 17th century. Throughout the
18th century, a large number of rhododendron types
were introduced into the Americas. In 1792, the
Pacific Rhododendron, which extends in range from
northern California to British Columbia, was
discovered. Today, Humboldt County is known by
botanists as a region in which the challenging-to-
cultivate flower grows abundantly.