The 2016 Rose Festival Queen is Grace Ramstad of Centennial High School

Meet Grace Ramstad.

She is the 2016 Rose Festival Queen.

A senior at Centennial High School, Ramstad calls the Grand Floral parade her favorite part of the annual Rose Festival.

"While all of the events show off the individuality and spirit of Portland, this is the event that brings in surrounding cities from the tai-county area," she says. With this event, we bring everyone together for one celebration. 

"I love seeing and meeting people from areas I've never been to; knowing that they cherish Portland as much as I do and that we are all a part of one larger community. The parade is a  manifestation of all we do when we work together."

The 15 princesses who make up Ramstad's court are:

• Emily Jayne- St. Mary’s Academy
• Olivia Wolfe- Grant High School
• Katie Johnston- Roosevelt High School
• Mariella Fischer- Central Catholic High School
• Melissa Ibrahim- Parkrose High School
• Stephanie Vo- David Douglas High School
• Bryana Hanks- Jefferson High School
• Abby Freimark- Franklin High School
• Kaytlin Gaines- Cleveland High School
• Helena Raposo- Lincoln High School
• Abigail Reyes Santiago- Madison High School
• Arianna Webb- Westview High School
• Estee Emlen- Wilson High School
• Cynthia Aguilar-Arizmendi- Benson Polytechnic High School

After Ramstad's coronation, the Grand Floral parade kicked off, winding its way on a 4.2 mile route through inner Southeast and downtown Portland.

As has happened for more than 100 years, thousands lined the route as floats and marching bands made their way by.

There were 14 all-floral floats, 17 marching bands, and 19 equestrian units.

The grand marshal this year were the Portland Timbers, which added an exclamation point to this year's theme of "Excessive Celebration" given that the Timbers won last year's MLS championship.