The rose industry is one of the specialties of Tyler, Texas. The renown Tyler Rose Garden and the Tyler Rose Museum showcase the history of the local flower-growing business as well as the famous Texas Rose Festival. A three-day annual event celebrates the roses during the third weekend of October, attracting thousands of visitors to Tyler.
Many festival events are centred around The Rose Queen who is selected by the President of the Texas Rose Festival Association. The Queen's Court includes the Duchess of the Rose Growers, Ladies in waiting, train bearers, sceptre bearers and attendants to the queen. Local rose growers organized the Tyler Rose Festival for the first time in 1933.
The major highlight of the celebration is The Rose Festival Parade with many lavishly decorated floats, school bands, and community groups. The parade usually takes place on a Saturday morning. Its route goes along Fifth St., then down Erwin to the Rose Stadium. Visitors can line the streets to watch the parade or get tickets for the seating area at the stadium. Other events of the festival include Queen's Coronation, concerts in the park, a rose gardening show, the festival of arts and crafts at Tyler's Rose Garden, a car show, and doll, bear, and toy shows.
