Starlight Parade Announces Poison Waters as Grand Marshal

“Me? Grand marshal! Oh my goodness.”

Poison Waters (Courtesy of Rich Jarvis )
By Bennett Campbell Ferguson

It’s official: Drag performer, presenter and community activist Poison Waters will lead the CareOregon Starlight Parade as its 2023 grand marshal on Saturday, June 3.

“Me? Grand Marshal! Oh My Goodness,” said Poison Waters, who has been headliner and hostess at Darcelle XV Showplace since the early 1990s, in a press release. “Moving to Portland as a child in 1979 when money was all but nonexistent, and trying to figure out who I would become, was super scary. The Portland Rose Festival brought me such joy!”

Waters added, “Being in marching band allowed me to participate in the Fred Meyer Junior Parade, the Starlight Parade and the Grand Floral Parade, and I have such fond memories of being a part of something so fabulous! Thank you for choosing me to be this year’s Grand Marshal for the CareOregon Starlight Parade! I CAN’T WAIT!”

The Starlight Run will follow the same path as the parade, with a couple extra blocks added. Runners can register at motivrunning.com/starlight-run. The 5K (where costumes are encouraged) takes place prior to the parade, starting at 6:30 pm. For a map of the parade route, see rosefestival.org/events/2023/starlight-parade#map. This year, the procession will not cross the Burnside Bridge, remaining on the west side.

Waters (also known as Kevin Cook) is a Portland icon. She was crowned Rose Empress of Portland’s Imperial Sovereign Rose Court in 2001, and performs weekly at Darcelle XV (where she also hosts Sunday brunch).

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