Tournament of Roses 1939 or 1940

If the photos below were taken during the Tournament of Roses, it seems most likely that the year was either 1939 or 1940.

This assumes that the gowns worn in the Tournament of Roses Queen and her Court portraits are the same gowns worn in the parade. AND that the photo below, Queens, is indeed the Queen and her Court. Long sleeved gowns were only worn in 1939 and 1940. In addition, both earlier and later years Queens do not resemble those in the photograph.

[Click on the links below for photos from the Official Tournament of Roses website]

Photo Gallery

1939 Queen and her Court

1940 Queen and her Court

The photo of the blimp advertises the Broadways Clearance Sale starting on Tuesday, leads to the conclusion that Monday was either New Years Day and thus a Holiday. Or that New Year fell on a Saturday or Sunday, and the store was closed Monday to give the employees a Holiday. In 1939, New Year's Day fell on a Sunday and in 1940 it was on Monday.

In 1938 the New Year began on Saturday. It is unlikely that a Department store was open on Sunday, but I would like to confirm this. My research indicates that the "Blue Laws" that mandated Sunday-closings began to change during World War II when more women began working. However, 1938 is unlikely to be the right year based on other clues.

The best clue is the parade float featuring Pinocchio. Pinocchio was the second animated feature produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was originally released to theatres by RKO Radio Pictures on February 7, 1940.

The current hypothesis is that these photograph were taken at the 1940 Tournament of Roses.

And just who is that horse? Could it be the 1940 "Horse of the Year"?