It's a tradition almost as old as the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade itself - marking off your spot to watch the big parade, but every year it raises controversy.  Here are some of the comments KATU News received on the topic.

Note: The following comments have not been edited for grammar, spelling or punctuation:

I live in the Lloyd District and every day I walk to the store or to work I have to see the ugly duct tape all over the sidewalk.  I realize that the sidewalks and streets are public domain, but what gives you the right to come into our neighbourhood and leave your tape litter--as if you are telling me as a resident of the area that I cannot somehow stand or sit on that section of sidewalk come parade day because you have already called it your own.  How about I go to your neighbourhood and tape down areas of the road on which I want to ride my bike or tape off my pathways on the sidwalk.  I think if you want a good spot for the parade, spend the night on your spot or get up really early and get there, but don't leave your black electrical tape and red, blue, silver, green, and any other color duct  tape all over the sidewalk.  I imagine that half of the people who participate in this greedy ritual of "me, me, me, this is mine" won't even bother to pull up the tape when the parade is over.  It will more likely be left behind for "clean and safe" to peel up, or it will just stay and bake onto the sidewalk in the July and August sun.

- Mike

As a lifelong Oregonian I refuse to attend the Rose festival parade because of these greedy, rude, self absorbed people. Why in the world would you think it's appropriate and acceptable to go leave chairs, coolers, tape, etc on a public sidewalk or street and claim that area as belonging to you for the next few days? The city of Portland shares the blame in this situation for not putting a stop to it when it first began. I would not respect someone's tape marker of "their" viewing spot and would not feel bad about "stealing it" if I got there before they did, but I also do not want to get in a confrontation which is probably pretty likely with someone who has the "me first" attitude these people have. If we would quit going along with their stupid little system of claiming spots to sit then there would be no incentive to do it. While there might not be an explicit law forbidding them from taping off areas it is in poor taste. I say if a spot is open and not physically being occupied...it yours!!!!

- Karen

this will be the 12th year I have spent the night on the parade route.  I have been sitting at the same spot since 1986.  Each year I have shared space with people who need a place to sit.  Every year there are places to sit, not the 1st row but there are places to watch.  I have let countless kids sit in front of me.  There are those people that show up looking for a front row seat  1/2 houir before the parade gets to where we are seated.  Which such a big event, planning is needed on the people coming. 

- Jeff

I will sit with my family in the first unoccupied spot I find that I like. I will dispose of any tape or chairs that are there. When someone tells me I cant do that, I will smile and sit anyway. If it becomes confrontational or hostile I will call 911 knowing there are no laws keeping me from occupying our spot, no ordinances or pre-determined tapers rights. While waiting for the response I will defend my family and myself as necessary.  Take it from a 6'2" 290 lb guy. big and burly guys don’t get far with intimidation in a crowd. If everyone just ignored the tape and chairs the problem would go away. The authorities probably can't do much without the means to enforce an ordinance or even the already existing law against littering. We will surely hear that in the cities re-sistance to enforce anything, and realistically they're right. Everyone ignore the tape and chairs and it will go away in a couple years. Nothing else will work.

- Doug

If you’re bothered by the “Spot Savers” then quit whinning and get your patute down there and save your own spot.  Let the people of Portland have their family traditions.  But I do agree that the “Spot Savers” do need to have some respect, and CLEAN UP after themselves.

- Candy

Heres my view on spot marking if you want a spot to watch an event get ther earlie enough where you can get a good spot dont tape it off or use chalk it just adds to the pulluotion add make the streets in bueatiful city treashy.
You know there is a saying first come first serve that way there shouldnt be any fighting and we all can enjoy this for years to come and I wish that the city would do something about it so all can enjoy watching this event live front row not standing in back or having watching it at home because theres no where to sit

- Just Concerned

My girlfriend and I have been going to the parade since 1991 sitting on the Burnside bridge. Every year we arrive about 6 a.m. and there is plenty of room. We save seats for our friends who arrive closer to parade start time. I'm sure others have had bad experiences people being what they are, but we always have a great time getting to know the folks who are new and seeing our "parade friends" who come back year after year. We have never marked off a space with tape in the past but I must admit we are considering it just for this year because of the great interest in the 100 years celebration. However, I say let's wait until 101 years before worrying about a big policy. I expect things will go back to less drama when it is not the centennial.

- Stephanie

I have for the first time taped a spot. I didn't like doing it but I have 3 children marching this year, last year I had 4 in the parade and I was not able to see all four of my children march for the Centennial High School Marching band. So this year I taped. 
 
When I was little though I remember with great joy arriving really early with my parents and having a picnic basket full of goodies to sustain us as we waited for the parade.  Folks would join us or vice a verse and we would play with other children.  It is unfortunate that it has come down to this taping business. If there should be someone/some folks seeking a spot by me, I will do like in the olden days and make room.  Maybe my little children will even share some snacks with their little ones.
 
- Blanchette

Since this is such a popular event why do they not just extend the route so there is room for everybody? I remember attending some of these parades as a child and even 20 years ago it was crazy and crowded.  I think a lot of people simply don’t go at all because they can not block of an area and don’t want to fight the crowds.  I won’t be taking my kids anytime soon because of these issues and that is a loss to them and also the downtown business community.

- Ken

We want good front-row seats for the parade.  My father always spent the night on the sidewalk before the Grand Floral parade to reserve seats.  When us kids got older we took over the job.  6 or 7 years ago when people started marking off areas on the street and friendly Portlanders respected the practice we started marking with tape and stopped spending the night.  If we have to go back to spending the night that’s okay with me but for Christ’s sake stop the threats and whining.  The Rose Festival and the parade are supposed to be fun but apparently some people would rather be negative and miserable.

- Michael

I wanted to speak up on this issue. I don't get to take my daughter to the parade or enjoy it with my family because of so many selfish people. I don't even try to go down town because there are so many people who are so selfish with reserving "their" spot. I believe it should be first come first serve. Reserving spots ruins the event(s) for so many people like me and my family because we don't even get a chance to enjoy the festivities.

- Caitlin

This "tradition" of littering the sidewalks with tape in a selfish attempt to get prime seating for the Grand Floral Parade needs to go!  I work and live downtown would love to watch the parade live (since I don't own a TV to watch it on from home), but I am unwilling to sink to the level of marking off my personal territory on the public sidewalks of Portland.  The rest of the year we live in a beautiful city with friendly residents - why is it that during the Rose Festival, all of that comes crumbling down?  I hate seeing the ugly tape as I walk around on my lunch break and am appaled that residents of the city as well as law enforcement allow this monsterous litterfest to take place during our most important week when we should be showing visitors how great Portland is, not how petty and direspectful to our neighbors and city we can be.
 
-Darlene

Didn’t the City of Portland just pass an ordinance that said “no sitting on the sidewalks of downtown”.  I know this was aimed at transients, but it should also be enforced for the parades.  If you leave tape or chairs ahead of time, it should be thrown away, just like the litter that it is.  If you want to see the parade, go early on the day of the parade.  I have quit going because I don’t want to “reserve a spot”, and even getting up early anymore doesn’t guarantee that you will find a good spot to see the parade.

- Anne

This morning I witnessed the city (Clean & Safe) removing tape from the sidewalk along 4th avenue.
Now these disrespectful, rude and selfish people are putting their tape back.
This has gotten way out of hand.
 
- Stephan

ever made the trip to the Portland Parade Its to far to go just to end up not being able to see any of the parade anyway. I'm a short person that has enough trouble seeing over top of other people in a normal situation so I just watch on TV in the comfort of my own living room with a refrigerator and a bathroom for any necessary breaks I need. Why bother going to Portland  and putting up with the pushing,  shoving and outright rudeness

-Karey

Waaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaa waaaaaa and waaaaaaa. Get your seat and stop complaining about not getting it, cry about something that matters, “It’s not fair!” Well make it fair stake out your own spot duh and stop crying about it!

- Kyler

I've already been pulling up the tape.  To hell with all of you greedy,
rotten Americans!!!
It should be first come, first serve.  But, this is America,  home of the
Greedy and Disrespectful.
What a shame.

- Derek

what about all the people that come from miles away to see and don't
have anyway to mark their space to see parade. not fair.

- Judy

My what a special example we set for our children when we all act like the rules don't pertain to us, and on top of that act like bullies in front of them for a spot at a parade.
WOW!
First come first serve and for goodness sakes try to be nice in front of the kids. Isn't that why we take them in the first place, to make a memory not a nightmare.
Let's have fun and be nice for a change.
- Darlene

If you want good seats, get up early and stake out your spot. Blocking sidewalks days before the parade is unsafe for pedestrians commuting to work.

- Katz

This is supposed to be a public event for the whole public to see, not for the few who are able to have the time to go in advance to mark their area days before the parade.  It should be like any other parade in any other city….you get there early for the best view of the parade.  I work for a living and work long hours and should not have to use what little free time I have to go prior to the parade day to ‘stake’ my claimed space.  Portland should ban this practice so everyone has an equal chance to view it on parade day with the family.  Plus, we would not have to wait days to weeks, if at all, for someone to remove their ‘taped’ claims of their street and sidewalk area they staked out.

- Gil

I don't come to Rose Festival events for this reason.  It is corrupt.

- Robert

In all fairness to everyone who loves a parade, it should be first come first serve.  Sorry folks, but we all should be able to take our families to watch the parade without FEAR of the possibility of trespassing on someone else's "marked spot", which by the way is PUBLIC PROPERTY,  NOT PRIVATE PROPERTY!  Do they have a permit?  Did they pay rent?  Of course not!  What a concept though!  Hmm, perhaps Portland needs to ponder this a bit and come up with a solution to give all citizens a fair chance at finding a good viewing spot without the threat of verbal and at times physical abuse.   But then again, perhaps this is just another way for some people to program their children in how to be rude, selfish and inconsiderate of others.  Items left unattended on the side walk should also be considered abandoned property and discarded. 

- Beverly

I've lived here for 6 years and have tried twice to go to the parade.  I always thought Portland was a friendly city, but not on Parade day!  I will never attempt to go again.  The only way I would agree with saving a space is if someone is physically in that space.  Tape and chairs should NOT be allowed.

JoAnne

It’s completely ridiculous for people to think that they have more rights to public space than anyone else.  I also agree that we cannot sell off spaces because it would disproportionately affect the poorer members of this community.  Portland prides itself on a sense of community.  Many laws and regulations have been taken off the books simply because they were outdated and not applicable to modern living.  This practice (NOT law) should also be left in the past.  Community means coming together to share a common event.  Our city should strive to show visitors that we can all be friendly and supportive rather than greedy and aristocratic.  I also would like to stress that simply because your family has lived here longer and been blocking off space longer doesn’t mean you have the right to anything anymore than those who have been here less time (and probably contributed more to this city).  I fully believe that a sense of entitlement gets you nowhere in a city like ours.

- Hannah

I would like to comment on this because I am part of a non-profit organization that supports the Japanese Magnet Program which is part of the Portland Public School system.

As part of our fundraising efforts for the past 7 years we have held a Rose Festival Parade Brunch.  It is one of our biggest fundraisers.  We (and another school) work with a well known business downtown to hold this fundraiser.  We tape off our area to reserve our spot and on the morning of the parade we set up chairs and canopies and tables and start cooking brunch.  The people who have purchased tickets to our fundraising event come and get to enjoy the brunch, activities and entertainment we provide, and then the parade.  It is always a huge success and after the parade we are very diligent about cleaning our area and removing all the tape.  But to have this fundraiser we have to be able to reserve a spot along the route.  We would not be able to have this fundraiser without being able to make sure we had a location in order to put on the event.  We have worked with the downtown company closely over the years to reserve the spot we have been using and they provide us with tables and electricity to help put on the event.  We believe that it is possible for a reservation system to work and also satisfy others who are unable to reserve a spot.

- John

I’m glad to see that commenter’s like BEV represent a very small minority of selfish people. Your tape or the fact that you put it there earlier doesn’t give you any more rights to public sidewalk space than any other tax payer. If you want to sit there all night, that’s fine. As far as someone tossing the tape and chairs they find there on parade day is concerned, they should be commended for cleaning up litter. Everyone knows that if you put something out on the sidewalk, it will usually be gone the next morning by either the garbage man or donation seekers, and it is neither theft, nor vandalism.

-Keith

I think it is time for the City of Portland to stop allowing people to "mark their territory" in order to secure priority viewing spaces of the parade.  Many bad practices have flourished through out history because of "tradition".  I am a Portland native of almost 50 years and I no longer go to watch the parade because it is intimidating to try to find a spot that hasn't already been claimed as part of someone's "tradition".

- Elizabeth

after reading all of the comments about the parade, you have people talking about taping, chalk, chairs, and how their kids cant see the parade.. well, I hate to sound rude, but, I agree that it needs to be a first come, first serve basis for ALL.. I am in my 30's and I have never seen a parade live.. I would love to be upfront and be able to have just as much right to see the parade as a 10 year old kid, or a 70 year old man. To me, age shouldnt matter. If the parents are that determined to have there kids see the parade, then get them there early just like everyone else. As far as the reserving of spots? Why arent the people who do this ticketed? if this was anyother day, this would be considered littering. What ever happened to respect, and courtesy? As for charging a fee for the seats ,, come on..why is everything so commercial now? We have become a society of ME ME ME.. and thats it.. how pathetic..

- Keith

I have only been to the parade 3 times in my life, once when I was a child because my Mother bought tickets to the grandstand area outside of the Coliseum and the other 2 where when I was in my high school marching band, the reason I haven’t been there again is the taping of spots, leaving of chairs, chains and etc. I have 2 boys now and I have never taken them to this parade because of the “this is mine mentality” of people who leave their items there days in advance. I feel the city needs to take action and the spots should not be able to be reserved until Midnight the Friday before the parade and you should actually have to have somebody there to reserve the spot not tape or lawn chairs or what have you.  That’s just one life long Portlanders opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs.

- Allyson

No one should be able to reserve, mark off, leave belongings or whatever you want to call it.  It is rude.   Spots should not be sold.

It should be as parades have always been, for the kids!  Kids should be up front, with their parents behind them.   Anything else is really ridiculous.  Anyone causing confrontations in front of kids is wrong, and they take the fun out of the whole parade experience.  

If someone wants to get up at 5am (the day of the parade), go physically sit in a chair and save their family a spot, that is okay.  But, blocking a whole section off with tape is ludicrous.  Portland allowing it is more ludicrous.

First come, first serve… It's the only fair thing to do. 

- M.N.

I have lived here 10 years now, and have never seen the parade. I have tried to take my out of town guests, and have always been treated so rudely by the " this is my area" folks. The city needs to address the issue and have it a "first come- first serve" rule. You don't see this in Pasadena or at any other parade on the east coast. Embarrassing for the city of Portland, to have tourist come into town just to see the parade, and cannot see it...Portland is losing out on a lot of tourist dollars for the downtown area.

- Elizabeth

How will the new no laying/no sitting law affect this event?  Can folks actually camp out the night before without being cited for loitering and breaking the law.  I also agree that marking with tape and/or chalk should be considered littering or vandalism and removed and/or the folks cited.
 
- Madhatir

I went three years with my 3 and 5 year old daughters.  I got the girls ready 5 hours before the parade began thinking I was doing great getting there early.  I was ready for a fun parade that I had heard so much about.  As I drove up, I got a great parking spot and I was so excited to see that I was one of the first to come and sit down.  As I was sitting down with my two girls I was told by so many people, that the tape on the floor is saving a spot.  I walked half a mile before a sweet lady let me and my two girls in tow, sit in her spot.  They should open the street at 3 am and let people save it that way.  NOT DAYS BEFORE WITH TAPE!  I will never go to the parade again since it was such a hassle with my children finding a spot to sit.  It was a great parade though.
 
- Janessa

Sorry Bev, at the time I'm writting this there are 34 comments on the page, and only 2 people favor being able to reserve a spot.  Too bad we live in a democracy, looks like you and your kind have been out voted.
 
Hey, who wants to start a new tradition with me and bring the parade back to the people?  I say we get together the night before the parade around 9pm and go around cleaning up the tape and getting rid of all of the trash in marked spots that don't have someone physically in them.  Let's give the people what they want, a parade where anyone, all of our friends and neighbors can show up at a reasonable hour and enjoy this wonderful parade.  Who's with me?
- Chuck

Homeless people aren't allowed to camp on the sidewalks or claim public areas for three or four days, why should people that have homes be allowed to camp there for three or four days?
 
It isn't fair to the people from out of town who may only be in town for the parade. People shouldn't be allowed to "claim" areas of public property; it should be on a first come basis starting 3 hours before the parade.
 
- Roger

I don't think people should be able to save a spot early. It may be great for people who live close by, but it is not reasonable to drive from far away to save a spot and make a second trip to see the parade.

- Bill

Do they not have laws or are afraid to enforce them.
If I was homeless and tried to claim a spot, what would happen?
So what if 70 percent of the people oppose it......There will always be the ONE'S who think they are special.
 
Get a Life     People are dieing and we care more about an over rated parade instead of putting that huge amount money and energy into doing something that would really benefit all the people.

- David

If I choose to take my family to watch the rose festival parade, and we come across an acceptable location for viewing we will stay there.  I will not honor a location which has previously been taped or chalked out.   How do you think Portland’s finest would handle this type of conflict?  I’m sure there have been confrontations over the years. 

On second thought, I’ll stay home and watch it on t.v     If I were the mayor, I would run a street sweeper over the parade route, eliminating the border wars that keep many away each year.

- Robert

Its a fun - where else but in Portland would people respect a few feet of tape around a chunk of sidewalk?  Its a great tradition!

- Heather

Sorry but this city has become rude. You don’t “own” a piece of sidewalk we all pay far. I know most of the sidewalk tapers won’t bother to clean up their mess. I know they’ll probably pile into their gas-guzzling SUV’s to drive down to the parade, helping create traffic problems before and after it’s over. Quite frankly I hope it literally rains on their parade…HARD!

- Jason

It should be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Groups who wish to reserve areas should be required to have a permit stating what location they will using and that they will be responsible for cleanup. Users  who fail to return the location to a pristine condition will be required to pay a fine.

- Jonathan

One suggestion the city might consider is to create 1 or 2 sections of the parade route that is acceptable for people to mark off several days in advance and leave the rest for 1st come after Mid-night on Friday.

-Dex

My view is if I sit down and it happens to be taped off too bad. I have just as much of a right to sit there as anyone who might have "thought" it was claimed. What are the idiots gonna do about it?

-Jeff

Times have changed. People need to change. No longer is the parade the same as it was 100 years ago. Yes, saving spots has been a tradition for many, but they did not do it days in advance as they did in years gone by. The population is much bigger than in the past. Everyone should get the same chance. One needs to let go of old thinking. It doesn't work anymore. It is time to move on with the ages. I think it should be first come first serve, starting at 5:00 am the day of the parade. Do the people that leave the tape pick it up when the parade is over?
 
- GSI

The night before the parade, the entire route should be patrolled, and all tape, chairs, etc. that are on the sidewalks should be thrown away. This whole thing is ridiculous.

-Geoff

It's unfair to locals & visitors & shouldn't be allowed.   I long ago gave up trying to watch the parade in person because of the lack of manners & the "this is my area" attitude.  It's as much my public space as it is theirs.  The tape, chairs, sleeping bags, etc. should be treated like what they are--litter & abandoned belongings. 

- Jess

I think it should be first come, first served.  Marking spots is ridiculous and I can tell you that because of this "tradition" even though we have three children and have lived here for 9 years, we have NEVER been to the parade.  I don't see the point in going if the kids aren't going to be able to even see it.
 
- Suzette

If you have the audacity to spend the time taping a spot down prior to the event you should be obligated to spend the time to clean it up when the event is over.

The administrative overhead of renting out event seating seems unnecessary and costly.  The downside to charging for spots is that the monetarily capable people get the premium-view while the average-to-below income citizens are relegated to the back of the crowd because their budget doesn't allow for ridiculous excess.  Events like this are intended for ~all~ citizens, not just the wealthy.

I think the First-Come-First-Server rule is the fairest option.  I strongly dislike claim-stakers that fight for the spot but don't clean up after themselves and treat it like they would a public toilet.

- Pete

As a child growing up in Portland my grandmother used to bring us down to watch the parade..That was when folks had respect of one another...I have tried to carry on the tradition but every year it just seems to get worse..No one has much respect for others anymore.This is a family event and if anything is more for the children then the adults........Our new tradition is to just stay home on watch it on TV...

- Lynne

The people who complain about other's saving seats are mad because they didn't get to go ahead of time and save seats for themselves. They needn't worry. In this day and age, people do whatever they darn well please, including like commenter Chuck, throw your stuff in the trash and take your saved seat. That messing with other people's things is a crime (vandalizing, theft) doesn't worry these folks. Nor does the fact that they aren't sure that the

seats were saved by a very, large burley man with a nasty temper. Oh well. Live and learn Chuck.

- Bev

The early bird gets the worm!  Spectators should definitely be rewarded for their diligence, determination, for their enthusiasm of a long-time Portland tradition. It warms my heart that people care enough about a Portland tradition to go out of their way, plan ahead, and prepare for the big parade.  How exciting for them!  Let's not rain on their parade.

- Ian

I don't think anyone should be able to reserve public property. If you want to see the parade get up earlier!!

- Anonymous

Just do what we do every year we go to the parade. If no one is physically in the space we simply clean up the garbage the other people left behind and set up our chairs. We have never once been confronted. If you want to tape off a spot you should have to have at least one person permanently “residing” in the spot from the moment you tape it until the parade stops. Unless you are willing to do that you are nothing more than a common litter bug and should be ticketed accordingly.

- Bigmike

I just went through this at the Starlight parade.  I went downtown on Saturday to view the parade with my children and friends.  We walked for about 15 minutes and found some area up front.  I asked the people who were sitting there If we could sit next to them and they said yes.
 
20 minutes before the parade began a family walked up and demanded our group move stating he marked the spot with his families name.  I am sorry I but 20 minutes before the parade I am to relocate our group........  I said I would not and it became confrontational.  The man went to get the police, I stated it was public property and I was not moving.  We did not have to move, we had to share the spot with the family who claims they wrote their name on the

sidewalk.
 
I do not believe this should be allowed.  I believe you should get downtown and reserve your spot the day of the parade.  We have how many millions of people between Forest Grove to Gresham and we are allowing "reserved seating". This would never fly in any other city and it should not in Portland.
 
The City of Portland along with the Rose Festival Commity need to get together and solve this before it becomes a big problem.
 
Personally I believe it would add more volume to the business downtown if their were no reserved seating.
 
- Kim

I grew up in this area, but stopped coming to the parade many years ago because of this situation.  It simply isn't fun any more.  I don't think duct tap, lawn chairs, or anything else should be allowed, and it should be first come first serve ONLY the day of the parade (i.e. any time after midnight).   I've experienced people getting mean and nasty, and that simply isn't what Rose Festival or Portland is or should be about.  These people are an embarrassment to the City of Portland.
 
- Judy

Portland has a great example just 940 miles south in Pasadena California. The Rose Parade has been going on almost as long as the Grand Floral Parade. In Pasadena You cannot stake out a position adjacent to the parade until the night before and at least one member of your party needs to stay there. Grandstands are erected some weeks before the parade and seats are sold in advance. Our neighbor to the south, California, may not have all the answers but clearly when they work, borrow them!
 
- Michael

I think "reserving" your spot days in advance for a public event is wrong.  There used to be no way I would honor a taped off spot, chairs placed or not.  If I got there before you, it was mine.  There are no rules that enforce making a spot on a public sidewalk your own.  Truth be told however, the rudeness of the people who tend to do this have forced me to stop going.  My 4-year old daughter will never experience a Grand Floral parade in her childhood years for simply that reason.  She'll have to watch it on television, which really takes all the fun out of it.  But as long as Portland allows this to happen, that's as close as she will get to it.
 
- Stephanie

The streets should not be marked or saved in any way before 1 a.m. on the day of the parade.   Sorry, tape should not be allowed.  We would go early with our chairs and then ask someone sitting on the curb if they would like to use them while we went for breakfast.  Worked good for them and us. 

- Emmy

When I was a child, no one marked places ahead of parade day. It would have been considered rude and greedy. Everyone came downtown, in very packed buses for the most part. When a parent found a likely area, everyone let the small children to the front. All the adults kept watch to make sure none of the "littles" ran into the street. The only reserved areas would be in the windows of offices that faced the route. Lucky employees cheered and waved in comfort. No one ever thought of bringing furniture, let alone leaving it afterwards. After the parade, we all crowded back on the buses and went home tired and happy with our memories. I don't even try to go to the parade any more.

- Betty Ann

No reservations should be allowed on a City street, first person onsite gets viewing rights.. I feel it is personal arrogance for someone to believe that their chairs or tape should prohibit a family that physically arrived from sitting on a City street to view a public event...This me-me practice is not in the "Spirit of Portland" at all.

- Priscilla

Since it is on a first come basis, and there are families that have had the same spot for decades, spend the nite, etc. they should be able to mark their spot and have other people respect, their space, just let us know how many years you have been there.  Run a contest for which families have been doing this the longest and have fun with it.

- Anonymous

I think it should be first come first serve like every other parade in other cities i've been too. Further, doesn't one have to make a reservation with the parks department to reserve space in a park? Anyone caught leaving their tape on the street/sidewalk should be cited for littering.
 
- Stephan

I think the parade committe should come up with a way to make the parade an event everyone can attend that chooses to without all of the hardship of it. I mean...it is intended for family enjoyment. I'm torn about a solution, maybe bleachers on the sidewalk set up the night before. This would allow those even in the back rows to see the parade. I know this is an expense but I imagine it could fit into the Rose Fesitval budget somewhere. There is always going to be someone that is unhappy but I know that our family doesn't even bother going anymore because it's too miserable to get the family through the crowds of mean people trying to fight for spots...it's just not worth it. Since the city has gotten so big, something needs to change with it to accomadate these types of events....

- Jamie

I have always thought this was a lousy tradition. Get up and go to the parade in the morning and take what you can get. Kids and seniors are often left to stand and not be able to see while those that have the time take up seating that could squeeze in a lot more people. My children have been pushed and shoved by 40 something’s trying to get a better view.

- Teresa

All I know is that the city of Portland does not sponsor marking off your spot in advance.  The Oregonian writes an article every year saying that you can mark it, but don't be surprised if someone "takes your spot."  If there isn't someone physically sitting in that area, I don't care, I'll throw your stuff in the trash and take your spot.  First come first serve.
 
- Chuck

If there is chalk, or chairs, or tape.......the city should consider it what it is.... garbage, and throw it away or clean it up. That way, all of us that show up that morning will have a nice clean area to set up our chairs.
 
- Lisa

If the city was smart they would number the parking spaces on the parade route and let people reserve the spot for a small fee. This fee would be used to clean the street after the parade. Hopefully then people would not leave the tape on the street and sidewalks. Any other time you would get a ticket for doing that...

- Anonymous

I've stopped coming to Portland parades because I'm so sick and tired of so many selfish, "me first" people. We need to stop behaving like third-graders, and show some consideration.

- Paul

When we go to paid events our seats are held....for this event I feel its first come first serve, unless the city wants to set up numbered seating and we all pay for it,then our seats will be reserved.

- M.S.A

If people want a good seat to view the parade, they should get themselves out of bed a little earlier and get downtown and find one (and sit in it).  I have no qualms about taking over a piece of marked-off sidewalk if there is no live body there.  It's a public sidewalk after all.  I've gone three times in the last ten years and have had to "steal" someone's space every time and nobody has ever confronted us over it.

- Sharmel

I think it should be first come, first serve.

- Sherri

I think it’s unfair especially for people coming from quite a distance that the good viewing places for the parade have already been reserved.  I would rather that no spots can be reserved until the morning of the parade and not before 4 a.m.

- Anonymous

No Tape Allowed! It is not fair for people who do not live in the city. They have to comutte to see the Parade. There is no point in traveling to see the parade if you have to be four or five rows back with children unable to see the parade. I do not see a way to fix this problem people would just hang out in the area or even sleep their to save there spots. Maybe a lottery for spots along the route just draw names that would even allow people who do not live in the city a chance to get a spot along the parade route.

- Out of Towner

If they have at least one person actually camping there, it seems much more fair than simply blocking off space!!  Otherwise, all the chairs should be removed!!

- Donna