The City of Alhambra celebrated its 90th Rose Parade float with “Story Time,” a salute to the Civic Center Library’s 110th birthday. The bookworm is reading “Tales from the Alhambra,” the source of the city’s name, to his insect buddies.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
Cities and service organizations, such as the ones in the gallery below, present the attractions of their communities and accomplishments of their organizations through the visual impact of Rose Parade floats. These entries brought both beauty and fun to the 129th Tournament of Roses. Here’s the basic info on each; riders and flowering are in the captions. Be sure to check out the 2018 Rose Parade page for a listing of all the articles about floats on TheRoseExaminer.com.
City of Carson, “Honoring the Past – Envisioning Our Future,” Fiesta Parade Floats, Art Aguirre designer
Lutheran Laymen’s League, “Bringing Christ to the Nations,” Phoenix Decorating Company, Michelle Lofthouse
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Lion Clubs International “Preserving Our Environment” depicts youth in LEOS planting and sprucing up a historic location. International President Naresh Aggarwal of Punjab, India and his wife Navita rode the float.
Roses, orchids, gerbera, iris, delphiniums, daffodils, Bells of Ireland, hyacinth, tulips, stock, and snapdragons—some specially grown for Phoenix Decorating Co.—made up the 10,360 flowers. Two live Noble firs stood on either side. The mill wheel rotated with real water.
South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association is the oldest self-built float in the Rose Parade, going back 108 years. “Booster Club” honored folks who support student athletes. Note the license plate! The tiger is the mascot of SPHS and the ostrich harks back to the Cawston Ostrich Farm.
A roadster, covered with 40,000 red Paris roses pulled a trailer filled tailgate necessities. Flowers included 50,000 roses, 5,000 carnations, and 10,000 mums. The wheels on the car turned and smoke wafted from the grill.
The City of Alhambra celebrated its 90th Rose Parade float with “Story Time,” a salute to the Civic Center Library’s 110th birthday.
The 55,700 flowers on the Alhambra float included roses, mums, carnations, orchids, gerbera, iris, Bells of Ireland, snapdragons, freesia, calla lilies, lavender, amaranthus, hydrangea, and larkspur. The worms head turned from side to side and the ladybugs’ wings flapped.
The Kiwanis International float had a speedy tiger “Racing to Serve Children,” which illustrated the urgency Kiwanians have in making sure children have what they need to thrive and reach their full potential.
Real bikes were covered with dry materials to meet Tournament of Roses requirements, including black onion powder, ground rice, lentils, and white pepper, statice, and silverleaf.
The 89,874 flowers on the Kiwanis float included roses, carnations, mums, gladiola, and cymbidium. Kiwanians packed the stands to cheer on their champion racer.
“Honoring the Past—Envisioning Our Future” kicked off the 50th anniversary celebration of the City of Carson. The beads surrounding the treasure chest showed off city landmarks and organizations, Stub Hub Center, the world’s largest soccer-specific stadium in the US.
Floral sprays created the new Founder Fountain, located at city hall. Flowers included orchids, iris, and more than 20,000 coral Movie Star roses. Fireworks, both real and floral, burst out of the float. Carson is also home to the newest Goodyear blimp, “Wingfoot Two.”
Lutheran Hour Ministries “Bringing Christ to the Nations” chose a boat, an ancient symbol of the church, with map on the sail, to bring the Gospel message to the world. The float was decorated with 41,740 flowers, including roses, mums, carnations, calla lilies, and orchids.
Riders on the Lutheran Hour Ministries float were people who, like the Rose Parade theme, are “Making a Difference”—a comfort dog and handler, a Sunday School teacher and child, a leader of a food bank, a medical professional, and a Lutheran pastor.
Union Bank and The American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate “Union of Hearts,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company celebrated 30 years of collaboration in their first float. Fireworks shot from the rear of the float.
LubDub waved at the crowd as Ticker curled barbells on the Union Bank and The American Heart Association float.
Union Bank and The American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate “Union of Hearts,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company.
Many of the riders on the Union Bank and The American Heart Association float have been directly affected by heart disease and stroke, such as former NFL Star Jesse Sapolu and 10-year-old Kaelyn Graham.
Union Bank and The American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate “Union of Hearts,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company.
Lions Clubs International “Camps For All Abilities,” built by Phoenix Decorating Company depicts activities that Lions Clubs throughout the world provide for thousands of individuals of all abilities and ages. Canoers on far side are Past Council Chair Multiple District 4, Ed Bordenkircher, Ontario Host Lions and Past District Governor Eldon Pontius, Pegus, Kentucky.
Lions Clubs International 25th Rose Parade entry, “Camps For All Abilities.” Canoers are Past District Governor District 45 Vermont, Philip Wheeler and wife, Donna.
Lions Clubs International “Camps For All Abilities.” Representatives from California’s four camps rode engaged in typical camping activities such as activities such as archery, arts and crafts, bicycling, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.
Lions Clubs International President Dr. Jitduhiro Yamada of Japan and his wife, Dr. Tosdhiko, seated on “Camps For All Abilities.”
Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee “Working Together for Peace,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company. Rotary has helped to establish 138 Peace Parks throughout the world and established centers for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran of Sri Lanka and his wife on “Working Together for Peace.” Working with Canadian and US Rotary clubs, the unit in Cardston, Alberta unified the Canadian Waterton Lakes National Park with the US Glacier National Park to form the Waterton-Glacier National Peace Park.
Sliming together in peace: snail and a slug on “Working Together for Peace.” Rotary has helped to establish 138 Peace Parks throughout the world and established centers for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Smelling the roses: A tortoise, squirrel, and snail work together on Rotary’s “Working Together for Peace.” It was the organization’s 37th entry in the Rose Parade.
A mouse pokes up through flowers in a drain pipe a la Mario on Rotary’s “Working Together for Peace.”
Cal-Nev-Ha District of Kiwanis International “Children…Our Treasure,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company. It was the 35th entry for the organization.
The Kiwanis motto “Making lives better each day, one community at a time, one child at a time” is demonstrated on “Children…Our Treasure.”
The Cal-Nev-Ha District of Kiwanis International is the largest chapter, with more than 15,000 Kiwanis members and more than 48,000 members in its Service Leadership Programs).
Kiwanis International “Children…Our Treasure” celebrates youth in the Key Clubs that help decorate the float.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation “A Girl’s World of Adventure,” designed by Stanley Meyer and built by Fiesta Parade Floats, was dedicate to Women of Action, a new AHF global effort focusing on empowering girls ages 5-13 by encouraging education, empowerment, equality, health and wellbeing and sisterhood at an early age.
Four 9-foot tall sculptured girls, each of different ethnicities, hold up the slowly rotating globe on AIDS Healthcare Foundation “A Girl’s World of Adventure.” It is AHF’s fifth Rose Parade float.
Real girls waved to the Rose Parade crowd from AIDS Healthcare Foundation “A Girl’s World of Adventure.”
Real girls waved to the Rose Parade crowd from AIDS Healthcare Foundation “A Girl’s World of Adventure.”
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs “The Tree of Life’s Adventures,” designed by Michelle Lofthouse and built by Phoenix Decorating Company marked 64 years of participation the Rose Parade.
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs “The Tree of Life’s Adventures” paid homage to memorable events and achievements of families and family life. Danny Wood, Sovereign Grand Master Independent Order of Odd Fellows, waved to the crowd.
Other riders on the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Rose Parade float included Shelby Ingram, President Theta Rho Assembly (girls youth leader); Cathy Doub, President International ladies Military Unit; Yolo County Judge Dave Rosenburg, Grand Master of California.
