SUZY STUMP: DAFFODIL GRAND FLORAL PARADE >>>

The transformation takes place in an instant. A timid 14-year-old drops her smile, tilts her hat forward, lifts a whistle to her lips, and voila: drill sergeant.

With two sharp shrills, she takes command of her dance squad, a gaggle of 40 kids who snap into six neat columns, chins up, eyes forward.

“Drill team, atten-shun!  Atten-SHUN!  I want everyone to bounce. I want you to jump!  Why aren’t you in parade rest? Don’t be scratchin’ your nose. I said parade rest!”

Dad Scorseses huff down the street filming the budding starlets.

Saturday, April 12 the 75th Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Street Parade will pass through the downtowns of Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting.  It’s your typical town parade with marching bands, high school floats, little kids dressed as the young Elvis, big flatbed trucks with a bunch of people sitting on bales of hay. And what would a Daffodil parade be without the fun-loving Realtors dressed as houses? â€" Suzy Stump

[Various locations, April 12 10:15 a.m., Pacific Avenue between 11th and 19th in downtown Tacoma; 12:45 p.m., Fifth and Seventh Avenue Southwest, downtown Puyallup; 2:30 p.m., Kincaid Avenue and Main Street, downtown Sumner; 5 p.m., Bridge Street and Washington, downtown Orting; 253.627.6176]

LINK: The Gray Sky Blues Festival begins after the Tacoma parade.