Visits from parade royalty from around the world, as well as from diplomatic officials served the Aquatennial’s original goal of building business connections between Minnesota and cities both at home and abroad. Minneapolis Aquatennial Souvenir Program Collection, Call # F.613.M93 M52. Used with permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

Richard Nixon served as grand marshal of the Aquatennial in 1958, the first vice president to do so since Alben Barkley in 1950. Used with permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

Richard Nixon served as grand marshal of the Aquatennial in 1958, the first vice president to do so since Alben Barkley in 1950. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum

Dayton’s Department store was regarded among Aquatennial organizers and attendants alike as regularly sponsoring the most lavish floats of the Grande Days and Torchlight Parades for decades, ranging from full-size paddleboats to scale replicas of the Taj Mahal led by elephants. Aquatennial Parade Floats[graphics], Sound and Visual Collection Call #I:3. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

For 1956’s parade, Dayton’s created a 167-foot long float depicting fashion trends by decade from the 1860s to the 1950s with live models. This ten-car display briefly held the world record for the longest parade float. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

Dance troupes from Hollywood and Broadway perform a revue number on the Aqua Follies stage on Wirth Lake for the finale of the Aqua Follies show. While the Follies originally ran twice daily during the Aquatennial, they were cut back to nightly performances, as audiences preferred the more spectacular accompanying lighting. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

The “Aqua Dears” were the foundation of the highly choreographed Aqua Follies shows for more than two decades, combining synchronized swimming with use of elaborate floating props for crowds of six thousand. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.

W. R. “Win” Stephens was one of the original organizers of the Aquatennial, and played an instrumental role in the festival’s planning and organization for decades on the Board of Directors. Aquatennial Parade Floats [graphics], Sound and Visual Collection Call #I:3. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum

Waterskiing shows have been a mainstay of the Aquatennial from the early years to the present. A poignant indicator of the shifting views towards women in Postwar America, Aquatennial programs shifted from “pinup” style covers to illustrations of boats and Minneapolis skylines in the early 1960s. Minneapolis Aquatennial Souvenir Program Collection, Call # F.613.M93 M52. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum

Aquatennial Parade Floats[graphics], Sound and Visual Collection Call #I:3. Used with the permission of the Hennepin County History Museum.