Editing Sierra Madre, California (section)

==Arts and culture==
Downtown Sierra Madre has small restaurants and shops. Sierra Madre hosts an [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] parade and three days of festivities each year. The date of the parade varies from year to year, dependent on when the Monday of the holiday weekend falls. Residents like to call it a "Star Spangled Weekend." The old tradition of water-filled squirt guns during the parade has been scrapped for "confetti eggs" to throw at parade participants and viewers. Concerts, food and game booths and the ubiquitous beer booth are all a part of the firework-free weekend.<ref>[http://www.cityofsierramadre.com/index.php?mod=news_detail&id=534 The Official Site of the City of Sierra Madre: News from the City of Sierra Madre<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the [[San Gabriel Valley]], and small bungalows or cabins.<ref name="history"/>  Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park has these resources and hiking trail entrances are available to the public: Sierra Madre Wilderness Trail, Live Oak Nature Trail, and Canyon View Nature Trail. The park itself has a Native Botanical Area and picnic area barbecues and fire rings<ref>[http://cityofsierramadre.com/index.php?mod=bailey_canyon The Official Site of the City of Sierra Madre: Bailey Canyon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

===Wisteria vine===
{{main|Sierra Madre Wisteria}}
[[File:Sierra Madre Wistaria Festival 2016 01.jpg|thumb|The Sierra Madre Wisteria]]
Sierra Madre is known for its annual Wistaria Festival (an alternative spelling of [[Wisteria]]), which celebrates its  {{convert|1|acre|m2}} Chinese wisteria (''[[Wisteria sinensis]]'') vine, which was planted in the 1890s.<ref name="Times1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thespruce.com/chinese-wisteria-plants-2132898|title=What Is Chinese Wisteria?|website=The Spruce}}</ref>  The plant was named by the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'' as the largest flowering plant and one of the seven horticultural wonders of the world.<ref>[http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/wistaria_hysteria_hits_sierra_madre_sunday/4454/ "Wistaria Hysteria hits Sierra Madre Sunday"] John Sollenberger, 3-22-07, ''Pasadena Weekly''.</ref> The annual festival is the one day a year the vine on private property can be viewed.<ref>"Now the largest blossoming plant in the world, Sierra Madre's 250-ton wistaria vine fit in a one-gallon can when it was purchased for 75 cents at Monrovia nursery in 194." March/April 2009 p. 52 AAA ''Westways'' magazine</ref><ref>Sierramadrewistariafestival.com</ref> The city's more than {{convert|500|ft|m|adj=on}}-long Wisteria Vine, was purchased in 1894 by Mrs. William (Alice) Brugman from the old Wilson nursery, in [[Monrovia, California|Monrovia]], for seventy-five cents.<ref name=autogenerated2 />  Over time, the vine, with its lavender flowers, grew so large that it crushed the house. Now the vine spans two back yards in the 500 block of North Hermosa Avenue.<ref name="Times1"/> The vine measures more than {{convert|1|acre|m2}} in size and weighs 250 tons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gardendecor-and-decorativeaccessories.com/wisteria-and-trumpet-vines-friend-or-foe/|title=Wisteria /Trumpet Vine - Garden Decor<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-wistaria-festival-20180317-story.html|title=Your once-a-year shot to see a freakishly large wisteria vine|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=R. DANIEL |last=FOSTER|date=March 16, 2018|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref>

===Rose Parade involvement===
On January 1, 1917, Sierra Madre made its first entry in the [[Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade]].<ref name="history"/>  Since 1954, the year it was founded, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association (SMRFA) has organized the volunteers who decorate the self made [[Tournament of Roses floats]] every year, and receives no funds from the city. The association holds a design competition every year, and volunteers start welding on the float chassis in March, preparing for screening, painting, and decorating, and culminating in "deco week," a busy 6 day period that ends with judging on December 31. While many volunteers reside locally, many come from across the country and international locations to contribute to the effort.

In 2010, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and float designer Charles Meier won their fourth award in a row, the ''"Lathrop K. Leishman Award" for Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float.'' Successful for years, since 2006 the Sierra Madre entry has been awarded nearly consecutive awards, showing masterful design and decoration against corporate commercial floats with budgets that dwarf that of SMRFA's.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sierra Madre Rose Float Association – Building quality floats for Sierra Madre since 1917|url=https://sierramadrerosefloat.org/|access-date=June 23, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>  Recent designs and awards include:

2022: Nature's Classroom  ''"Judges Award," most outstanding float design and dramatic impact''

2020: Ka Lā Hiki Ola  ''"President Award," most outstanding use and presentation of flowers''

2019: Harmony's Garden  ''"Director Trophy," most beautiful artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials''

2018: Chivalry!  ''"Fantasy Trophy," most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination''
[[File:The Cat’s Away (32276641446).jpg|thumb|301x301px|''The Cat's Away'', Sierra Madre Rose Float Association's float from the 2017 Rose Parade. The teapot is decorated with pink and purple carnations and yellow strawflower embellishments, and the chassis is covered in red roses.]]
2017: The Cat's Away  ''"Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international''

2016: Rollin' on the River  ''"Animation Trophy"''

2015: I Think I Can  ''"Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international''

2014: Catching the Big One  ''"Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international''

2013: The Sky's the Limit  ''"Isabella Coleman Trophy," best presentation of color and color harmo''ny '''         '''

2012: Colorful Imagination

2011: Sueños de California  ''"Governor's Trophy," best depiction of life in California''

2010: California Girls  ''"Governor's Trophy," best depiction of life in California''

2009: Bollywood Dreams  ''"Lathrop K. Leishman Award," most beautiful entry from a non-commercial sponsor''

2008: Valentine's Day  "''Princess’ Trophy," most beautiful entry under thirty-five feet in length''

2007: Our Wonderful Wistaria  "Lathrop K. Lieshman Award," most beautiful entry from a non-commercial sponsor

2006: Wonder of Reading  "Founder's trophy", most outstanding float built by volunteers from a community or organization

===Mater Dolorosa Monastery===
In the foothills of Sierra Madre is an {{convert|80|acre|ha}} retreat with a fountain and gardens. Mater Dolorosa Monastery's first permanent structure was built in 1931. In 1949, the new retreat house was built and dedicated. The Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center (Mater Dolorosa means "Mother of Sorrows") has provided an environment of peace for monks as well as [[Methodist]]s, and [[Presbyterians]].<ref name="retreat">{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-21-me-5401-story.html |title=In the foothills of Sierra Madre is...| newspaper=Los Angeles Times | first=Cecilia | last=Rasmussen | date=June 21, 1993}}</ref>

Shortly before the [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl game]] in 1958, [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] Coach [[Woody Hayes]] started looking for a place to sequester his team. The Mater Dolorosa monastery in Sierra Madre offered secluded serenity, along with a small company of black-robed friars to make sure the team didn't get into any mischief. The [[1957 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Buckeyes]] won the game.<ref name="retreat" /> Other team coaches have followed suit. [[Bobby Bell]], a [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]] linebacker, remembered the team bus pulling into the monastery one late night, with only the headlights and police escort lights shining against the religious statues. He remarked to his coach: "You don't have to worry about bed-check tonight, Coach."<ref name="retreat"/>