HERE'S LONG, SHORT OF DOO DAH PARADE.

Byline: Emanuel Parker Staff Writer

PASADENA - Serious local, national and international events crept into this year's supposedly irreverent Doo Dah Parade, a reflection of the grave times in which we live.

Spectators Sunday were treated to marching Vons strikers, who drew applause as well as shouts of ``go back to work''; a sign touting Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark; messages from the Green Party; a human rights group demanding the release of political prisoners in several countries; the Libertarian Party's call to end the drug war; and a critique of President Bush's environmental policies.

Near-perfect weather saw more than 100 entries step off shortly after noon before a crowd police unofficially estimated at 8,000. The route went south on Raymond Avenue (at Holly Street) then west on Colorado Boulevard to Pasadena Avenue. The members of the anxious crowd took it upon themselves to close Colorado at Raymond at 11 a.m., forcing police to move them back so traffic could pass.

Police said there were no arrests at the 27th annual edition of the parade, formed to make light of the Tournament of Roses Parade held every year on Jan. 1.

Absent this year were past crowd favorites such as the briefcase drill team and the gory Texas chain saw marching unit. Instead, viewers saw the Spawn of Capt. James T. Kirk, several bands and a group calling for the release of comedian Tommy Chong, jailed for selling drug paraphernalia on the Internet.

Pasadena school board member Bill Bibbiani rode in the parade with his motorcycle club.

``The Doo Dah Parade is the flu shot for the Rose Parade so you don't get diabetes on New Year's Day,'' he said.

A crowd favorite was a Santa Claus that started out horizontal and rose to a vertical position like several recent Tournament of Roses floats. Crudely painted on its sides were the words ``Santa's Fake.''

The ``Brides of Osama'' featured several women pulling a man in a wagon, from which Arabic music wafted.

``Man, it was a gas. It had a lot of good-looking people, a beautiful day - it was fantastic,'' said Ray Campi, the ``King of Rockabilly,'' this year's grand marshal.

``I thought it was awesome,'' said Nick Dimmock of Pasadena. ``Gee, it's hard to think of one thing that I liked more than the others. They were all great. My kids liked it. They enjoyed throwing the tortillas around and the Silly String and all of that.''

``I like the soldiers in the battle,'' said his son, Chris, 10, referring to people dressed as Romans ``stabbing'' each other with swords. ``That's cool.''

``I think it was a great parade, one of the best I've ever seen,'' said Tom Coston, president of the Light Bringer Project, parade sponsors.

``There was a lot of color out there, vitality and different stuff. It's kind of neat to be able to throw a party of Pasadena here in Old Pasadena and see everybody out here, from the City Council to folks from the Northwest. Everybody just having a good time, letting down their hair and partying for Pasadena,'' he said.

On a more somber note, local artist Jirayr ``Jerry'' Zorthian, 92, who annually hosts the contest for Doo Dah queen at his hilltop Altadena ranch, is hospitalized for an unspecified ailment. His wife, Daphne, said he's doing well but was disappointed he couldn't see the parade.

After the parade, Doo Dah regulars made the rounds of Old Pasadena bars, while others made their way to the Pasadena Fall Fine Art & Craft Fair at Central Park.

Emanuel Parker, [phone], Ext. 4475

emanuel.parker(at)sgvn.com

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(1 -- 2 -- color) Both two-legged and four-legged members of The Wild Wieners, left, including Jan King of Costa Mesa, right, stroll down Colorado Boulevard during the 27th occasional Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena Sunday. Below, ``Count Smokula,'' who claims to be 496 years old, plays the accordion.

Bernardo Alps/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Donna Kissling of Northridge lights the way as a member of the Doo Dah Random Dancers, a belly dancing group.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer