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PORTLAND, Ore. (Jan. 12, 2022) – The Portland Rose Festival announced today that CareOregon will become the new title sponsor of the festival’s popular Starlight Parade, happening on June 4, 2022. After two years of hosting virtual events, the Portland Rose Festival is excited to announce plans to return to in-person festivities this summer.

Jeff Curtis, Portland Rose Festival CEO says “The Rose Festival is back this year for the Rose City Reunion. The Rose Festival is happy to be part of Portland’s comeback story, featuring all three of our parades starting with the CareOregon Starlight Parade. We’re honored to have CareOregon as a Premier Sponsor, joining a group of corporate leaders who recognize the value that the Rose Festival brings to the community.”

The Starlight Parade kicks off the Rose Festival’s parade series, which also includes the Junior Parade and Grand Floral Parade. The festival’s theme this year, Rose City Reunion, is meant to capture the spirit of Oregonians coming back together to celebrate and reinvigorate our sense of community pride and togetherness.

“CareOregon has been a longtime participant in and supporter of the Portland Rose Festival,” said Eric C. Hunter, CareOregon CEO. “When we were approached about joining the Portland Rose Festival in this new capacity, we saw this as an opportunity to contribute to community health. As the largest provider of Oregon Health Plan services in our state, we know that good health is about more than just healthcare. We need strong communities to build healthy futures—this includes civic events, such as the Rose Festival. Oregonians need something to cheer for. We’re hopeful that Rose Festival will be back on the Portland streets this summer.”

“The Starlight Parade is a favorite event for thousands of Portlanders” says Amy Johnson, Starlight Parade chair. “Every year it showcases the spirit of the people who live in this region and brings us together to celebrate our city. CareOregon is the perfect partner to help Rose Festival bring this event back with an emphasis on the health and wellness of our community.”

Applications are open now for parade entries including floats, marching units, bands, and special entries from the community. The application deadline for the CareOregon Starlight Parade is March 23, 2022. https://www.rosefestival.org/events/2022/starlight-parade

Release your inner silly and join the Rose Festival Clowns. Applications available now at: https://www.rosefestival.org/p/programs/clown-prince-rose-festival-clowns

Help us make memories and join the conversation online by sharing what the Rose Festival means to you or your family using #RoseCityReunion

About the Portland Rose Festival

The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is a 501©(3) non-profit that serves families and individuals with programs and events that promote the arts, education and volunteerism. We value environmental responsibility, diversity, patriotism and our historic & floral heritage. 

The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is dedicated to producing safe, friendly, and welcoming events that celebrate the diversity of our city and state, and will continually evaluate its practices and decisions using an equity lens. View the Portland Rose Festival Foundation’s full DEI statement here.

Website: www.RoseFestival.org

Facebook: Facebook.com/PortlandRoseFestival 

Twitter: @PDXRoseFestival 

Instagram: @PDXRoseFestival

YouTube: YouTube.com/PortlandRoseFestival 

About CareOregon 

For more than 25 years, CareOregon has offered health services and community benefit programs to Oregon Health Plan members. Today, we support the needs of more than 500,000 Oregonians through three coordinated care organizations, a Medicare Advantage plan, a Tribal Care Coordination program, a dental care organization, and in-home medical care with House-call Providers. CareOregon members have access to integrated physical, dental and mental health care, and substance use treatment. We believe that good health requires more than clinics and hospitals, so we also connect members to housing, fresh food, education and transportation services. CareOregon is a mission-driven, community- based nonprofit with offices in Portland, Medford and Seaside, Oregon. 

Follow us on social: @CareOregon

Contact:
Rich Jarvis, Portland Rose Festival Foundation Public Relations Manager, 503-227-2681 Richj@rosefestival.org

Becca Thomsen, CareOregon Communications Manager, 503-416-3756
thomsenb@careoregon.org