Spoofing tradition while the sun shines

Amid a sea of colorful paraders dressed as cats, chickens, cue balls and other characters, Dan Rydberg was amazingly ready for some sleep.

Rydberg went to Sunday’s Doo Dah Parade -- a Pasadena festivity known as the countercultural spoof of the Tournament of Roses parade -- equipped with his pillow and Men of Leisure Group.

“It’s an ode to the evils of overworking,” said Rydberg, 40, of Oxnard. “We can’t make it through the whole parade at once, so we take breaks and nap along the way.”

This year’s 100 marching groups included the BBQ and Hibachi Marching Grill Team, which cooked hot dogs and tossed them into the crowd as they marched; Fred Wodnicki, who led his 20-man Invisible Marching Band (it was awfully quiet); and the Books of Dr. Seuss, who were dressed as characters from the children’s books.

“It’s such a refreshing alternative to the traditional Rose Parade,” said Max Sucee of Sunland, a spectator of the parade for the last five years.

“It almost has a Mardi Gras feel to it,” he added.

About 15,000 people lined Raymond Avenue and Colorado Boulevard for the parade.

And there was not a cloud in the sky during the procession, in comparison to the more renowned parade, which received a downpour earlier this year.

“We’ve always said that this is a blessed parade,” said Patricia Hurley, a parade spokeswoman. “We always have great weather, and thankfully this year was no exception.”

Although the parade began in 1978, it celebrated its 30th procession on Sunday. Its mission is to urge the community into a collective state of goofiness.

Tom Giddings, 23, of Pasadena was in such a state as he readied himself on the back of a chariot with his group, Caesar’s Circus.

“This all may have been alcohol-induced, but I’m not really sure,” said Giddings, as he drank from a wine glass containing what he said was grape juice.

The parade hit slow points on its mile-long procession, but that was mostly because of Rydberg’s group. Its members occasionally dropped their pillows onto the street for synchronized naps.

“Our main goal right now is to try and get Labor Day changed to Leisure Day,” Rydberg said.

And the parade’s queens?

They were two women who work as art models, who won last week’s queen tryouts topless.

On Sunday, they wore more clothing, at Hurley’s request.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com