The UPS Store sea monster promoted reading in the 2018 Rose Parade.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
The 129th Tournament of Roses Parade ushered in a new system of float awards. The 24 awards are divided into three categories plus Sweepstakes, in 2018 by Singpoli American BD. The gallery below has photos of the four winners in the Entertainment Value category. The theme of the 2018 Rose Parade was “Making a Difference.” From food to books to raising families, the sponsors of these floats make a difference to people across America.
The four awards and winners in the Entertainment Value category are
Extraordinaire Award for the most extraordinary float: The UPS Store “Books Bring Dreams to Life,” designed by Charles Meier and built by Paradiso Parade Floats
Wrigley Legacy Award for the most outstanding display of floral design, float design, and entertainment: Ag PhD TV and Radio “Salute to Farmers,” designed by John Ramirez and built by AES
Judges Award for most outstanding floral design and entertainment: American Armenian Rose Float Association “Armenian Roots,” designed by AARFA board member Johnny Kanounji and built by Phoenix Decorating Company
Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment: Trader Joe’s “Hats Off,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company
All photos are copyright 2018 by LB Monteros
The UPS Store “Books Bring Dreams to Life” from Paradiso Parade Floats illustrates how readers are swept up in new adventures through books. The gigantic sea monster breathed smoke. Complex hydraulics linking the segments enabled her to appear as if she was swimming in an ocean of roses and iris, while angel fish swam up and down in a spray of soap bubbles.
The head UPS Store sea monster was mounted on a gimbal that enabled it to move in multiple directions. The eyes moved from side to side and ears wiggled. Though the float was the standard 55 feet long, the neck and head moved out beyond that limit.
With a rotating head, moving eyes, wiggling ears, a neck that rocked back and forth, and a swishing tail that swung beyond than the 18 foot width, this sea monster provided quite a spectacle a the 2018 Rose Parade. The float won the Extraordinaire Award for the most extraordinary float.
A pirate finds adventure in a book on The UPS Store float. The scaly back was created almost exclusively with brilliant fresh flowers—more than 125,000 blooms—and a sprinkling of grapefruit, lemons, oranges, and limes.
Sailing on a book, a pirate waves at the Rose Parade crowd. Note the tether to the mast. The sea monster’s tail swished and the segments of the body swayed from side to side. The knobby starfish was covered in kumquats.
The Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer, created by Phoenix Decorating Company, pedals along the 2018 Rose Parade route in his garish but dapper get up on “Hat’s Off.” Accompanied by equally decked-out tricyclists and walkers, Mr. Flyer prepares to doff his hat.
The tricycle “pulled” a rickshaw filled with Trader Joe’s crew members, shaded from the Pasadena sun by a colorful parasol. The float was 40 feet high and 75 feet long, with a produce-filled rickshaw behind.
As the hat came off, confetti and popcorn shot out of the can of corn on Trader Joe’s “Hats Off.”
corn, animation. The Flyer’s arms, legs, and ankles flex to pedal the rotating big wheel.
The “aloha” jacket mirrors the aloha shirts worn by Trader Joe’s staff. The float used 87,460 flowers, 200 lemons, and a variety of dry materials.
Tricycles filled with fresh-cut stems went along for the ride, and walkers doffed their top hats to the crowd. The entry won the Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment.
A small rickshaw filled with Trader Joe’s produce and beverages is ready for a long march down Colorado Blvd.—or a tailgate at the Rose Bowl.
At 110 feet long, the two-section Ag PhD float was a colorful “Salute to Farmers” in the 2018 Rose Parade. AES designed and built the float, which featured a tractor and planter, a combine, and of course the men and women who produce our food. The combine appears to pump grain into a storage bin.
Towering over the Ag PhD float is a water tower, a familiar fixture in small town America. Ag PhD is a television and radio program that provides up-to-date information for farmers. The primary crops in its South Dakota home, soybeans, corn, and wheat, are featured on the float.
100 farmers representing all 50 United States rode on the Ag PhD float in the 2018 Rose Parade. The first entry for Ag PhD, the float won the Wrigley Legacy Award for most outstanding display of floral design, float design, and entertainment.
100 farmers representing all 50 United States rode on the Ag PhD float in the 2018 Rose Parade.
Mother Armenia is portrayed as a young woman on the American Armenian Rose Float “Armenian Roots.” The float was dedicated to Armenian mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers, who spend their lives “Making a Difference.” Created by Phoenix Decorating Company, the entry won the Judges Award for most outstanding floral design and entertainment.
Mother Armenia holds a pomegranate, a symbol of fertility, abundance, and marriage. The white veil has raffia fringe made using needles. The green veil and her dress extend to reflect typical Armenia carpet designs, using mums and roses.
Armenian women from many walks of life wave from a garden of yellow, coral, white, and red roses on “Armenian Roots.” The float used 167,400 flowers.
Armenian women from many walks of life wave from a garden of yellow, coral, white, and red roses on “Armenian Roots.” The float used 167,400 flowers.
Bright Armenian designs on the richly-flowered carpets used Kermit green mums and red roses, with various yellow and gold mums and blueberries for the trim.
