Tag: 2017

Rose Bowl Hall of Fame 2017: Mack Brown, Cade McNown, Charles Woodson, Dr. Charles West

On: By: LBM

From Tournament of Roses reports –Mack Brown (coach, University of Texas), Cade McNown (UCLA), Charles Woodson (Michigan), and Dr. Charles West (Washington & Jefferson) will be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame as the Class of 2017. The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to pay tribute to members of the Rose Bowl Game who have contributed to the history and excitement of the game, and those who embody the highest level of passion, strength, tradition and honor associated with The Granddaddy of Them All.

“These four individuals epitomize what the Tournament of Roses and Rose Bowl Game stand for,” said Tournament of Roses Football Committee Chair Brad Ratliff. “This class has exhibited strength, passion, tradition and honor in relation to college football, but also in making a difference in their communities.”

The induction ceremony will take place at noon PT on Dec. 30, 2017, outside of the Rose Bowl Stadium. The Rose Bowl Game will be played as the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal on Jan. 1, 2018. It will feature two of the top four teams in the country, with the matchup of the No. 1 and No. 4 teams or the No. 2 and No. 3.     Continue reading “Rose Bowl Hall of Fame 2017: Mack Brown, Cade McNown, Charles Woodson, Dr. Charles West” →

Documentary ‘Float’ chronicles Burbank’s entry from concept to Colorado Blvd.

On: By: LBM

Usually I’m on the button side of the camera. Yesterday, I was the subject.

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Karl Preusser

It was a beautiful, move-to-California day at Tournament House yesterday, where I had the pleasure of being interviewed by composer and filmmaker Karl Preusser (behind the camera at left) for a documentary. Float is the story of how a self-built Rose Parade float gets from design to deconstruct, focusing on Burbank Tournament of Roses Association. Preusser and his wife have volunteered with BTORA for seven years, and he has recently moved up from the flower cage to learning welding. His wife served one year as decorating chair, a job that requires estimating and rounding up the botanical materials for a float.

Preusser had originally thought to do a sort of reality show, but he soon discovered that there is more camaraderie than conflict among the builders, which doesn’t make for a lot of drama. Competition for the float awards is tempered by the attitude that everyone, professional companies and self-built associations alike, have a shared goal of putting on a beautiful and entertaining parade. In many ways, the Rose Parade is still a hometown event.

Our conversation ranged over the history of the Tournament of Roses to the differences among various builders, the accommodations locals are willing to make to support the Rose Parade, and why it is such a special event. I like to talk, so it went on a couple hours, and I don’t envy Preusser the job of editing it down to a few minutes. His aim is to get the film ready to submit to the Sundance Film Festival by August. My piece was one of the last to fit in.

I don’t know that I had much original information, but I can opine on of what it is that makes the Rose Parade so exceptional, so enticing to 80 million viewers around the world and 700,000 along the parade route. When I interviewed R. Scott Jenkins, president of the 2014 Tournament of Roses, he talked about the Macy’s Parade and the huge balloons and Broadway acts. “What makes us unique in my view is floral-covered floats….That’s what puts us on the map.” I responded, “It’s that the Rose Parade has a soul.”

 

Self-built floats are entries that are designed and built entirely by volunteer organizations, or in the case of Cal Poly Universities, schools. Here are the six organizations that grace the Rose Parade every year:

Live on Green celebrated USAF and the Rose Parade

On: By: LBM
United States Air Force airmen do rifle drills at Live on Green at the Pasadena Convention Center.
United States Air Force airmen do rifle drills at Live on Green at the Pasadena Convention Center.

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Sorting through Rose Parade photos, we came across these snapshots from Live on Green, so we put together an album to share some of the sights. Live on Green was held on the three days preceding the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. It’s a place for folks to drop in while they are waiting for the big day, whether they are from the community or in town for the Rose Parade.

The event focused on the United States Air Force in celebration of its 70th anniversary. One of the halls in the Pasadena Convention Center was filled with Air Force displays and interactive exhibits for science and engineering.  Another had beach volleyball and other sports, chalk drawing, and the Dole Whip booth. Music, entertainment, and celebrity chefs sharing their recipes were throughout the campus.

Representing the non-profits that enrich the community were Food Share, which collects food for its Ventura County food bank; Pasadena Humane Society, with the mobile adoption unit; Union Station Homeless Services, San Gabriel Valley’s largest social services agency; and ONE Archives Foundation from USC.

Mannequin members of the USC Trojan Marching Band and Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band guard the newly-minted Sweepstakes Trophy, given to the most beautiful entry in parade with outstanding floral presentation and design.

ONE has the largest collection of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) materials in the world. It was named after a magazine founded in 1952 specifically for the homosexual community. The archive has a collection of travel guides that lasted safe places for LGBTQ tourists to visit and stay. There are three million pieces in the collection, which make it a valuable resource for researchers. Some 720 used the collections in 2016, and 120 educational history panels are available to schools, non-profits, and community events.

Read the captions to the photos for more about what we saw!

Photo right: Mannequin members of the USC Trojan Marching Band and Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band guard the newly-minted Sweepstakes Trophy, given to the most beautiful entry in parade with outstanding floral presentation and design.

Related: Dole Packaged Foods presented with Sweepstakes cup

 

 

California Grown celebrates the Golden State in the Rose Parade

On: By: LBM

by Laura Berthold Monteros

It was 2011 when we first wrote about the California Grown credential awarded by the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC). The California Clock Company contacted us about their 2012 Rose Parade float celebrating their 80th anniversary and their most famous product, the ubiquitous Kit-Cat clock. They insisted on floral materials that were grown in California, and along with Cal Poly Universities, achieved California Grown status. In order to be certified, 85 percent of the floral materials on an entry must be grown in the Golden State.

By 2017, three floats and the Tournament of Roses vehicles carrying Rose Parade honorees, received certification, despite the years-long drought that plagued California agriculture until early 2017. The floats were Miracle-Gro “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” Cal Poly Universities “A New Leaf,” and California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) “Legacy of Generations.” We were able to attend the ceremonies at Fiesta Parade Floats for Miracle-Gro and CMAB, but there are photos of all the honorees below, along with links to more extensive articles on the Tournament of Roses entries.

At the ceremony on Jan. 1, 2017 at Fiesta, Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Continue reading “California Grown celebrates the Golden State in the Rose Parade” →

Dole Packaged Foods presented with Sweepstakes cup for 2017 Rose Parade entry

On: By: LBM

Lance Tibbet, president of the 129th Tournament of Roses, presented the just-issued Sweepstakes cup to Dole Packaged foods for its 2017 float, “Spirit of Hawaii.” L-R, Dole Packaged Foods Pres. Brad Bartlett, VP Marketing David Spare, Fiesta Parade Floats Pres. Tim Estes, and Tibbet. All photos copyright LB Monteros

 

by Laura Berthold Monteros

With an unprecedented run of garnering the prestigious Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes award for six of the last seven years, Dole Packaged Foods had another first on Tuesday when the company was presented with the new silver Sweepstakes cup. The award was for the 2017 Rose Parade entry “Spirit of Hawaii,” a gorgeous tribute to the Dole relationship with that state. Lance Tibbet, president of the 129th Tournament of Roses that will be held on Jan. 1, 2018, made the presentation at DPF headquarters in Westlake Village.

Vice President of Marketing David Spare used the occasion to announce that Dole will sponsor an eighth entry in the 2018 parade, which has the theme “Making a Difference.” He said, “The theme is terrific and timely, and fits with the things Dole is doing [to help people] along the way.” The goal is always to create the most beautiful float possible, he said, praising the contribution

This Sweepstakes Trophy is the first actual cup in decades to be awarded. The Tournament of Roses logo and name of sponsor, float, and builder are on the front. On the back is a medallion of roses.
This Sweepstakes Trophy is the first actual cup in decades to be awarded. The Tournament of Roses logo and name of sponsor, float, and builder are on the front. On the back is a medallion of roses.

s of Tim Estes, president and Jim Hynd, VP and floral director of Fiesta Parade floats, as well as the Dole associates who decorate the float.

Brad Bartlett, president of Dole Packaged Foods, said he is humbled to be presented with the Sweepstakes Trophy. “We’re proud to be a part of the Tournament of Roses,” he said. “A brand is difficult to maintain over 129 years. We’re 166 years old. It fits very well with who our company is.”

A trophy in hand

Float sponsors have not been given actual trophies for many decades, so the reinstatement of the Sweepstakes cup was quite an event. The award is for “most beautiful entry, encompassing float design, floral presentation, and entertainment.” Tibbet said the Tournament decided to have a tangible trophy “because in everybody’s mind, the Sweepstakes Continue reading “Dole Packaged Foods presented with Sweepstakes cup for 2017 Rose Parade entry” →

Tournament of Roses celebrities and Salvation Army Band in 2017 Rose Parade

On: By: LBM

A special honor went to retiring Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn with a ride in a 1936 Packard Phaeton, one of only 10 made in the last year of production. Floral designers chose reds and hot pinks to contrast the silver finish.

 

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Celebrities are not a big part of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Some float sponsors have celebrity riders, of course, but the Tournament itself generally only has four: Grand Marshal, Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees, Pasadena Mayor, and TOR President. The 128th Rose Parade had a whole slew of them, with three Grand Marshals, each in her/his own car, and retiring Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn followed by his beloved Salvation Army Band added to the usual subjects.

All the cars were decorated by FTD floral designers J. Keith White, AIFD CFD and Peter Samek, AIFD. We wrote up the parade appearances of the Grand Marshals and Pres. Brad Ratliff with his 20 mules with great photos of the people and rides. Check out the photo gallery below for the rest of the 2017 Rose Parade celebrities. Continue reading “Tournament of Roses celebrities and Salvation Army Band in 2017 Rose Parade” →

Twenty Mule Team brings back Death Valley Days with remarkable craftsmanship

On: By: LBM

Living history: Twenty Mule Team pulls replicas of the iconic Death Valley boron ore wagons down the 2017 Rose Parade route. In the wagons are the family of Pres. Brad Ratliff and people involved in bringing this piece of history to life. Copyright 2017 R. Monteros

 

by Laura Berthold Monteros

The last time the Twenty Mule Team pulled freight wagons along Colorado Blvd. in the Rose Parade was 1999, when Pres. Dick Ratliff chose the 110-year-old wagons as his personal conveyance. They were back on Jan. 2, 2017 for the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade at the request of Pres. Brad Ratliff, Dick’s son, in an illustration of his theme “Echoes of Success.” He and his family filled two wagons, this time brand-new replicas of the original 1882 lorries that hauled 10 tons of borax each. The Ratliff family was a light load by comparison, so the wagons had to be weighted with huge water tanks.

“Mules need the weight to pull,” Preston Chiaro, president of the Death Valley Conservancy (DVC),  said adding that the weight also helps with braking. Plywood platforms and hay bales were included so the riders could stand and wave to the crowd.

The third appearance of the team was also an echo of its first Rose Parade appearance a century ago, when it also appeared in the inauguration parade of Pres. Woodrow Wilson. The wagons were decorated for the parade by FTD floral designers J. Keith White, AIFD CFD and Peter Samek, AIFD. White told The Rose Examiner during Deco Week that he wasn’t sure how he would flower what seem like gigantic wooden bins, but the photos show that they did an excellent job of nesting white and red roses in green garlands, with white tulips, carnations, baby breath, and other flowers as accents.

Be sure to check out the gallery below for photos and more information in the captions.

The commission to build the wagons came in January, 2016, and was given to Dave Engel, owner of Engel’s Coach Shop in Joliet, Mont. The shop builds and restores equine-drawn conveyances from sleds to broughams to Yellowstone coaches. He started on this project Continue reading “Twenty Mule Team brings back Death Valley Days with remarkable craftsmanship” →

Nuggets from Rose Parade Decorating Places and Showcase of Floats, 2017

On: By: LBM

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Beverly Bliss and Kevin Monroe at Decorating Places
Beverly Bliss and Kevin Monroe at Decorating Places

When an attraction is frequented by more locals than tourists, it’s a sign of a great event. Decorating Places, presented by Giti Tires in the days just preceding the Tournament of Roses Parade, allows fans to see the final floral touches put on the magnificent creations. Showcase of Floats, presented by Miracle-Gro, is where the finished floats are on display immediately after the Rose Parade, and for the following day or two. Both are popular with residents and visitors to the Pasadena area.

We got a few shots at those events in the days just before and after the parade, talked to a couple people, and learned a lot. Check out the gallery below for a glimpse into these two must-do events. More photos to come, with the articles on each float. All the floats at Decorating Places were designed and built by Paradiso Parade Floats.

At the Donate Life float “Teammates in Life,” we spoke with crew chief Kevin Monroe and Beverly Bliss of RTI Donor Services. Monroe, who donated a kidney to his brother Elliott, said, “This is a special float. You won’t see another one like it.” He noted that Donate Life floats, with their floragraphs of deceased organ donors, has been in the Rose Parade for 14  years.

Bryce Hicks, a Tournament of Roses intern, at Decorating Places
Tournament of Roses intern Bryce Hicks at Decorating Places

Bliss has worked with organ and tissue donation for about 30 years, beginning with the Red Cross. She said she “helps out with anything.” Part of her impetus is that when her father passed away years ago, there was no tissue bank outside the Navy in San Diego.

Over at the UPS “Books Bring Us Together” float, we spoke with Bryce Hicks, a junior at nearby Occidental College and an intern for the TOR. The chemistry major said that today was extra work, beyond his usual assignment.

“The Tournament of Roses has been a big part of my childhood,” he said. “I’m going to be working on Parade Ops on parade day,” he said. He will also be involved in the drone flyover for the press, shooing people off the street, and collecting the white suiters’ scooters after the parade. “It’s a good gig. I’m excited.”

 

All photos are copyright LB Monteros

 

Rose Parade 2017 Sweepstakes Trophy returns to Dole, Craftsman won by Netflix

On: By: LBM
“Soar Beyond Imagination” by Netflix won the Craftsman Trophy in the 2018 Rose Parade. It depicted images from the film The Little Prince.
“Soar Beyond Imagination” by Netflix won the Craftsman Trophy in the 2017 Rose Parade. It depicted images from the film The Little Prince.

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Dole Packaged Foods once again won the Sweepstakes Trophy for “most beautiful entry in parade with outstanding floral presentation and design,” its sixth in seven years of Rose Parade participation. Newcomer Netflix took home the Craftsman Trophy for “exceptional achievement in showmanship and dramatic impact for floats longer than 55 feet” with a two-part creation in the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 2, 2017, “Echoes of Success.”

Be sure to check out the gallery below for detailed descriptions of flowering and riders.

“Soar Beyond Imagination,” designed by John Ramirez and built by AES, was essentially a promotion for The Little Prince, a family-friendly feature produced for Netflix. The float reflected the charm of the book on which the film was based and the whimsy of the film. The front float

“Spirit of Hawaii” by Dole Packaged Foods won the Sweepstakes Trophy, the sixth for Dole. The volcano shot real 20-foot flames and emitted smoke, and steam, and look closely for the fire Pele holds in her hands.
“Spirit of Hawaii” by Dole Packaged Foods won the Sweepstakes Trophy, the sixth for Dole. The volcano shot real 20-foot flames and emitted smoke, and steam, and look closely for the fire Pele holds in her hands.

presented the Little Prince on his personal planet with his beautiful red rose. The second float is straight from the movie, with the aviator from the book now an aged man, living with his memories. The theme was chosen “because success and imagination are inextricably linked,” Netflix says, “And, of course, you can’t ignore that a main character in The Little Prince is The Rose!”

“Spirit of Hawaii,” like previous Dole Packaged Foods floats, honors the places where Dole products are grown. Many of the materials used in the decoration came from Hawaii, including the fresh leis and head leis for the dancers, drummers, and riders. Designed by Stanley Meyer and built by Fiesta Parade floats, the float celebrated the history and legend of Hawaii with a 10-foot copy of the statue of King Kamehameha, bedecked with fresh leis, and the fire goddess and creator Pele holding flames in her hands. A 28-foot-tall working volcano and several waterfalls, including a 10-foot-wide cascade, created excitement. Unfortunately, the waterworks were not running as it went by camera corner. For more about Dole, including interviews, read “Dole Packaged Foods give employees a taste of Hawaii.”

 

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All photos are copyrighted. Contact Administrator for permissions.

Cal Poly, Miracle-Gro win trophies with California Grown florals in 2017 Rose Parade

On: By: LBM

Miracle-Gro “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” won the Queen’s Trophy f or Most Effective Use and Display of Roses in Concept, Design and Presentation in the 2017 Rose Parade. It was designed by Stan Meyer and built by Fiesta Parade Floats. Four former Rose Queens were aboard. Copyright 2017 Ramona Monteros

 

by Laura Berthold Monteros

Two award-winning floats in the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1 were covered in flowers and other materials grown right here in California. The two floats, representing Cal Poly Universities and Scott’s Miracle-Gro, have strong ties to California. Both received California Grown certification (more about that in an upcoming article). All the Miracle-Gro riders are also California Grown, and the Cal Poly float is built by the two Cal Poly Universities in San Luis Obispo and Pomona.

For more about the flowering, read the captions in the photo gallery.

Cal Poly “A New Leaf” won the Founders' Trophy for Most Beautiful Float Built and Decorated by Volunteers from a Community Organization in the 2017 Rose Parade. The family of chameleons reflects the theme “Echoes of Success” in the support Cal Poly families give their students.
Cal Poly “A New Leaf” won the Founders’ Trophy for Most Beautiful Float Built and Decorated by Volunteers from a Community Organization in the 2017 Rose Parade. The family of chameleons reflects the theme “Echoes of Success” in the support Cal Poly families give their students.

“Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” another stunningly beautiful float from Miracle-Gro, fittingly  won the Queen’s Trophy for Most Effective Use and Display of Roses in Concept, Design and Presentation with four former Rose Queens in a Cinderella carriage pulled by a flock of monarch butterflies. It was the 50th Rose Parade anniversary for Barbara Laughray Boyd (1967), who was joined by Aliya Coher (1995), Mary McCluggage (2007), and Madison E. Triplett (2015). DIY personality Ty Pennington was the coachman. Read more about each one on the Miracle-Gro Rose Parade site. The float was designed by Stan Meyer and built by Fiesta Parade Floats.

Cal Poly Universities “A New Leaf” won the Founders’ Continue reading “Cal Poly, Miracle-Gro win trophies with California Grown florals in 2017 Rose Parade” →