Tournament of Roses floats
Encyclopedia
Floats for the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade
evolved from flower-decorated horse carriages. The carriages evolved into floats. The floats are required to be covered with plant material, living or dead. Originally Tournament of Roses floats were created solely by volunteers from sponsoring communities. Currently, most are built by professional float building companies, and take nearly a year to construct. Some communities and organizational sponsors still rely on volunteers.
The 2010 parade floats included Boy Scouts of America
, Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, New Mexico
Tourism Department, Phoenix Satellite Television
(U.S.) Inc., Roundtable of Southern California/Shanghai World Expo, and Safety Harbor Kids. The 2010 parade also featured a 113 feet (34.4 m) float from Dick Van Patten
's Natural Balance Pet Foods
, which set a Guinness
world record for longest single-chassis float. The City of West Covina
paid tribute to the "service and commitment of the Tuskegee Airmen
" with a float, entitled "Tuskegee Airmen – A Cut Above", which featured a large bald eagle, two replica World War II "Redtails"
fighter planes and historical images of some of the airmen who served their country. The float won the Mayor's trophy as the most outstanding city entry – national or international.
Shortly after each year's parade is over, and the next year's parade theme is announced, the parade sponsors and participating communities start to plan their floats for the following year. A "theme draft" meeting is held in mid-February where builders select their float theme. The Tournament assures that there are not too many similar floats.
Characters and other objects on the float are created as separate elements to add later, consisting of a framework of steel and chicken wire. The chassis has beams and steel rod welded to it to support a mesh cover. The float is then "cocooned" in the next process; it is sprayed with a polyvinyl
material which acts as a base for inserting decoration. This base is painted with the colors of the flowers to be applied to the float.
Every square inch of the exposed surface of a float entered in the Rose Parade strictly must be covered with flowers or other natural materials. These other decorative applicants include bark, seed and leaves. Decorating with the non-perishable materials is performed first. In the days following Christmas, the live additions to the float are applied by volunteers or hired workers. Many people end each day covered in glue and petals. Delicate flowers are placed in individual vials of water and set into the float one-by-one. The Tournament of Roses is the largest consumer of flowers in the world, and flowers arrive from all over the world.
Many floats, along with their drive train, include computer-controlled robotic mechanisms to animate the floats. Most float drivers can only see the ground below them. An observer communicates by intercom to the driver. Most observers are hidden within the float and have limited visibility. Each float has a Tournament Member (Float Liaison) assigned to it who shepherds the float from the float barn to the formation area and down the parade route. Most ride on motor scooters although some walk. The Float Liaisons communicate with the float's observer by hand signals. At the two corners other Tournament Members direct the floats in addition to the Float Liaisons.
It is estimated that it takes 60 volunteers working 10 hours a day for 10 days to decorate one float.
After Christmas one can view many of the floats being decorated with flowery mantles, in the various "float barns" that dot the Pasadena area and communities to the east. Last-minute volunteering opportunities are sometimes available (though most builders recommend advance registration); if you are willing to volunteer, you just might find a crew willing to hand you a box of flowers (or a broom) and put you right to work!
Admission is charged for viewing the floats at the various sites. The four float decorating places are Rose Palace
, Rosemont Pavilion, Brookside Pavilion, and the Irwindale Pavilion, in the City of Irwindale, California
.
Approximately 120,000 visitors attended the three-day event in 2009.
In the old days, some of the flowers used on the floats were home grown in the former Fanny Morrison Horticultural Center, now the Kidspace Children's Museum
in the Arroyo Seco
Natural Park..
and Victory Park, for three hours after the parade. On the day after the parade (occasionally two days when January 3 falls on Saturday or Sunday), the first two early morning hours (7-9) are reserved for seniors and the disabled, and the rest of day's worth of viewing for the general public.
There were three days of viewing in 2010, Jan. 1 (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Jan. 2 and 3.
A fair-like environment with food and souvenir vending stands is created for public enjoyment. Handicap access and assistance is provided. Some of the animated floats are put on display with their animation running. Unfortunately, as time goes on the flowers wilt and thus the best viewing is right after the parade.
International's entry of "Preservation Celebration", built by Fiesta Parade Floats. Judges:
Judging occurs on the two days before the parade. In the first day's judging, the float is viewed "at rest", without any animation, sound, or riders. The float builder is allowed to explain the float to the judges before the judges begin their examination. In the second judging, the float is judged as it will be presented in the parade, with all animation, riders, outwalkers, and effects. Each judging session lasts five minutes.
Floats are judged in 14 categories, with varying weights; the most important categories are those relating to floral usage. Winners are announced at 6 AM on parade day.
The 2009 Sweepstakes Trophy winner for the "most beautiful entry with outstanding floral presentation and design" was again participant Rain Bird
Corporation and its builder Fiesta Parade Floats. The theme of the Rain Bird float was Entertaining Expedition. The "Most Beautiful Non-Commercial" Lathrop K. Leishman trophy went to the City of Sierra Madre
and the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association's self built Bollywood Dreams.
The Rain Bird float won the 2010 Sweepstakes Trophy entitled Mountaintop Majesty and the City of Torrance
won the Leishman trophy for its Garden of Dreams float. Both floats were built by Fiesta Parade Floats.
Tournament of Roses Parade
The Tournament of Roses Parade, better known as the Rose Parade, is "America's New Year Celebration", a festival of flower-covered floats, marching bands, equestrians and a college football game on New Year's Day , produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.The annual...
evolved from flower-decorated horse carriages. The carriages evolved into floats. The floats are required to be covered with plant material, living or dead. Originally Tournament of Roses floats were created solely by volunteers from sponsoring communities. Currently, most are built by professional float building companies, and take nearly a year to construct. Some communities and organizational sponsors still rely on volunteers.
The 2010 parade floats included Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
Tourism Department, Phoenix Satellite Television
Phoenix Television
Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd or Phoenix Television is a Hong Kong-based Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese television broadcaster that serves the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong along with other markets with substantial Chinese viewers...
(U.S.) Inc., Roundtable of Southern California/Shanghai World Expo, and Safety Harbor Kids. The 2010 parade also featured a 113 feet (34.4 m) float from Dick Van Patten
Dick Van Patten
Richard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
's Natural Balance Pet Foods
Natural Balance Pet Foods
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods is an American commercial pet food manufacturer with its headquarters located in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California...
, which set a Guinness
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
world record for longest single-chassis float. The City of West Covina
West Covina, California
West Covina is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. Located some east of Downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, it is a mostly middle class suburb of Los Angeles...
paid tribute to the "service and commitment of the Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
" with a float, entitled "Tuskegee Airmen – A Cut Above", which featured a large bald eagle, two replica World War II "Redtails"
Red Tail Project
The Red Tail Squadron, part of the non-profit Commemorative Air Force and until June 2011 known as the Red Tail Project, maintains and flies a World War II era P-51C Mustang...
fighter planes and historical images of some of the airmen who served their country. The float won the Mayor's trophy as the most outstanding city entry – national or international.
Modern-day process
Directly after the parade, floats are stripped to their chassis. Structural steel elements are reused where possible; organic materials and sculptural steel are recycled.Shortly after each year's parade is over, and the next year's parade theme is announced, the parade sponsors and participating communities start to plan their floats for the following year. A "theme draft" meeting is held in mid-February where builders select their float theme. The Tournament assures that there are not too many similar floats.
Characters and other objects on the float are created as separate elements to add later, consisting of a framework of steel and chicken wire. The chassis has beams and steel rod welded to it to support a mesh cover. The float is then "cocooned" in the next process; it is sprayed with a polyvinyl
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
material which acts as a base for inserting decoration. This base is painted with the colors of the flowers to be applied to the float.
Many floats, along with their drive train, include computer-controlled robotic mechanisms to animate the floats. Most float drivers can only see the ground below them. An observer communicates by intercom to the driver. Most observers are hidden within the float and have limited visibility. Each float has a Tournament Member (Float Liaison) assigned to it who shepherds the float from the float barn to the formation area and down the parade route. Most ride on motor scooters although some walk. The Float Liaisons communicate with the float's observer by hand signals. At the two corners other Tournament Members direct the floats in addition to the Float Liaisons.
It is estimated that it takes 60 volunteers working 10 hours a day for 10 days to decorate one float.
- 20 daisies, 30 roses or 36 marigolds will cover one square foot of a float area
- Over 500,000 roses (in vials) used in the parade
- 15 tons of steel along with 10000 feet (3,048 m) of chicken wire for the framework of a float
- 600 tons of steel, 5,000 gallons of glue and 18 million flowers are used to make the floats each year
- 935 “white-suiters” spent 80,000 hours to manpower and plan the parade
- Floats must collapse to no more than 16.5 ft (5 m). high, to pass under a freeway overpass
- Natural materials, such as bark, seeds, leaves and flowers, shall cover the floats
- Twenty-four awards for some 50 float entries
- Length of parade is 5.5 miles (8.9 km), about 2.25 hours long at 2.5 miles (4 km) per hour pace
Viewing float decorating
Admission is charged for viewing the floats at the various sites. The four float decorating places are Rose Palace
Rose Palace
The Rose Palace, also known as the Pasadena Rose Palace, is a building located at 835 South Raymond Avenue in the city of Pasadena, California...
, Rosemont Pavilion, Brookside Pavilion, and the Irwindale Pavilion, in the City of Irwindale, California
Irwindale, California
Irwindale is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2010 census, down from 1,446 at the 2000 census....
.
Approximately 120,000 visitors attended the three-day event in 2009.
Quantity of flowers
While many distinct changes have taken place with the Festival's floats, including computer-aided movement and professional float building, the floats have kept true to the event's title and heritage, by using real, fresh flowers. The cost of flowers is included in the total cost of the float and paid for by the float sponsor.In the old days, some of the flowers used on the floats were home grown in the former Fanny Morrison Horticultural Center, now the Kidspace Children's Museum
Kidspace Children's Museum
Kidspace Children's Museum is located next to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, housed in the former Fanny Morrison Horticultural Center....
in the Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)
The Arroyo Seco, meaning "dry stream" in Spanish, is a seasonal river, canyon, watershed, and cultural area in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The Arroyo Seco has been called the most celebrated canyon in Southern California.-River course:...
Natural Park..
Post-parade: A Showcase of Floats
Presented by Bayer Advanced, the Showcase is a paid admission area where the floats are displayed after the parade, for close-up viewing. The floats are parked along Sierra Madre and Washington Boulevards in Pasadena, near Pasadena High SchoolPasadena High School (Pasadena, California)
-History:The school was first established as a district school in 1884 and became Pasadena High School in 1891. In 1928, the school merged into Pasadena Junior College and operated as a four-year school, grades 11, 12, 13 and 14. Pasadena realigned its 6-4-4 school system in 1954 with Pasadena High...
and Victory Park, for three hours after the parade. On the day after the parade (occasionally two days when January 3 falls on Saturday or Sunday), the first two early morning hours (7-9) are reserved for seniors and the disabled, and the rest of day's worth of viewing for the general public.
There were three days of viewing in 2010, Jan. 1 (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Jan. 2 and 3.
A fair-like environment with food and souvenir vending stands is created for public enjoyment. Handicap access and assistance is provided. Some of the animated floats are put on display with their animation running. Unfortunately, as time goes on the flowers wilt and thus the best viewing is right after the parade.
Judging
Three civic and floral industry leaders evaluate the floats and hand out prizes to the participating floats in 24 categories. The top prize for the parade is the Sweepstakes Trophy, the most beautiful entry, which in 2008 was won by Rain BirdRain Bird
Rain Bird Corporation is a large privately held manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services, based in Azusa, California.-History:...
International's entry of "Preservation Celebration", built by Fiesta Parade Floats. Judges:
- 2009: Richard Koshalek, recent president of Art Center College of DesignArt Center College of DesignArt Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
; Sharon Loving, horticulture department head, Longwood GardensLongwood GardensLongwood Gardens consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States in the Brandywine Creek Valley...
of Kennett Square, PennsylvaniaKennett Square, PennsylvaniaKennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a year...
; and Beverly White, reporter and anchor, local NBC4KNBCKNBC, channel 4, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KNBC's studios and offices are located within the NBC Studios complex in Burbank, California, and its transmitter is located on Mount Wilson...
TV station.
- 2010: Christine Knoke, a curator at the Pasadena Norton Simon MuseumNorton Simon MuseumThe Norton Simon Museum is an Art Museum located in Pasadena, California, United States. It was previously known by the names: the Pasadena Art Institute and the Pasadena Art Museum.-Overview:...
; Ann Daly, DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
chief operating officer; and Jim Coiner, owner and founder of Coiner Nursery.
- 2011: Debbie TurnerDebbie TurnerDebbie Turner is an American former child star who played the role of Marta von Trapp in the film The Sound of Music.-Life and career:...
, actress (The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music (film)Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is based on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and with the musical...
) and floral designer; Nancy Clarke, former White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
Chief Floral Designer, floral designer and author; Kirk Hendrix, President and CEO of the Indianapolis’ 500 Festival. - 2012: Lois B. Fowkes, American Rose Society judge; Paula PrykePaula PrykePaula Shane Pryke is a British florist and author.d of Ralph and Gladys Pryke; m 1987, Peter Romaniuk. Educ: Culford School; University of Leeds . LRAM 1985....
, British florist; Bryan Wittman, Vice President of Global Special Events for Disney Parks.
Judging occurs on the two days before the parade. In the first day's judging, the float is viewed "at rest", without any animation, sound, or riders. The float builder is allowed to explain the float to the judges before the judges begin their examination. In the second judging, the float is judged as it will be presented in the parade, with all animation, riders, outwalkers, and effects. Each judging session lasts five minutes.
Floats are judged in 14 categories, with varying weights; the most important categories are those relating to floral usage. Winners are announced at 6 AM on parade day.
The 2009 Sweepstakes Trophy winner for the "most beautiful entry with outstanding floral presentation and design" was again participant Rain Bird
Rain Bird
Rain Bird Corporation is a large privately held manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services, based in Azusa, California.-History:...
Corporation and its builder Fiesta Parade Floats. The theme of the Rain Bird float was Entertaining Expedition. The "Most Beautiful Non-Commercial" Lathrop K. Leishman trophy went to the City of Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre, California
The city of Sierra Madre is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California whose population was 10,917 at the 2010 census, up from 10,580 at the time of the 2000 census. The city is located in the Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest. ...
and the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association's self built Bollywood Dreams.
The Rain Bird float won the 2010 Sweepstakes Trophy entitled Mountaintop Majesty and the City of Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
won the Leishman trophy for its Garden of Dreams float. Both floats were built by Fiesta Parade Floats.
Notable recent floats
- working roller coasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s (2003 and 2009 Cal Poly UniversitiesCal Poly Universities Rose FloatThe Cal Poly Universities Tournament of Roses Parade Float or Cal Poly Rose Float is a yearly program which builds a rose float that is displayed on the morning of every January 1 during the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California...
; 1998, DowneyDowney, CaliforniaDowney is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
) - a 50 feet (15.2 m) replica of the Statue of LibertyStatue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
(2006) by HondaHondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
advertising their slogan "The Power of Dreams". Honda's other recent floats have included a car transforming into a spaceship (2008) and ASIMOASIMOis a humanoid robot created by Honda. Introduced in 2000, ASIMO, which is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility", was created to be a helper to people. With aspirations of helping people who lack full mobility, ASIMO is used to encourage young people to study science and mathematics...
(2009). - British Petroleum (BP) (2008 or 2009) presented a group of dinosaurs with a 10 foot flame being ejected from a 20 foot erupting volcano.
- a robotic chef with moving arms
- a complete tropical paradise, filled with animals
- a working water slideWater slideA water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size...
(1993 La-Z-BoyLa-Z-BoyLa-Z-Boy Incorporated is a furniture manufacturer based in Monroe, Michigan, USA which makes home furniture, including upholstered recliners, sofas, stationary chairs, and sleeper sofas...
"School's Out!") - a nearly 100 feet (30.5 m) Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, 2004
- Anaheim city's floatAnaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
that included the Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
that the NHL's Anaheim DucksAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
had won last season, hoisted by player Brad MayBrad MayBrad S. May is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League . He grew up in Stouffville, Ontario, but played his rep minor hockey in Markham, Ontario. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, May was known more for his enforcing skills than his scoring...
. (As the regulations state that the outside of the float must exclusively use organic material, ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
commentators speculated that the city got an exception to display the Cup.) (2008) - In 2010 the Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
commemorated a float to the 2010 All-Star Game2010 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
at Angel Stadium - The 2010 Dick Van PattenDick Van PattenRichard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
's Natural Balance float, featuring snowboarding bulldogs, measured over 113 feet (34.4 m) long, setting a GuinnessGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
world record for longest single chassis float. - The 2011 themeTournament of Roses Parade themesA following is a chronological list of Tournament of Roses Parade themes.-Themes:* 1918 – Patriotism* 1919 – Victory Tournament* 1920-1926 – No Themes* 1927 – Songs in Flowers* 1928 – States & Nations in Flowers* 1929 – Poems in Flowers...
float was decorated with the help from participants of the CBS television show Amazing RaceThe Amazing Race 17The Amazing Race 17 is the seventeenth installment of the reality television show The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race 17 features 11 teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world....
, broadcast on Sunday, December 12, 2010. The final "roadblock" had one team member of the three finalists decorate one of three sections of the float with chrysanthemumChrysanthemumChrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
s and roseRoseA rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
s, and then covering a sculpted rose with natural material. When finishing to the floral decorator's approval, they would receive their next clue from the 2009 Rose QueenQueens of the Tournament of RosesEach year in September and early October, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses administers a selection process to determine which greater Pasadena-area girls will have the honor of being crowned Queen of the Tournament of Roses, or one of the members of her "Royal Court". Each year over 1000 girls...
Courtney Lee. During the parade, "Up with PeopleUp with PeopleUp with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
" rode and performed atop of the float. For the second year in a row, the 2010 Dick Van PattenDick Van PattenRichard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
's Natural Balance float, featuring skim-boarding bulldogs was Certified by Guinness World Records as the "WORLD'S HEAVIEST FLOAT," the float features over 4,000 gallons of water and is heavier than a 747 airplane. - The 2012 Dick Van PattenDick Van PattenRichard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
's Natural Balance float, featuring surfing bulldogs, will be deemed the World's Heaviest and Longest Rose Parade float. All of the Natural Balance World Record floats have been driven by the same team. One of these drivers lives in Vermont and flies to Pasadena every year to drive in the Rose Parade. 2012 will mark the 35th consecutive drive in the Rose Parade for this individual.
External links
Former float construction companies
- Charisma Floats
- C.E. Bent & Sons
Float construction companies
- Artistic Entertainment Services (formerly Festival Artists Worldwide)
- Fiesta Parade Floats
- Phoenix Decorating Co.
- Studio Concepts