From the time I started writing online with Examiner.com up to the final article I posted my own website, The Rose Examiner, I have appreciated all my readers and always tried to serve them with the stories I wrote. My goal in continuing to write about the Tournament of Roses after Examiner.com closed down was to inform and entertain those who have an interest in America’s New Year Celebration.
Over the past year or two, I came to realize that it is time for me to set aside this wonderful part of my life and return to my first love, creative writing—essays, children’s stories, and short stories. That’s where I excel, where the words seem to fly from my fingers to my keyboard to the virtual document on my screen. I can’t do both; there just isn’t time.
This decision was confirmed in the joy I experienced with a recent writing assignment for a group I’m in. It was based on a picture from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, a picture book by Chris Van Allsburg. The book is ostensibly a collection of unrelated pencil sketches by a man named Harris Burdick, and without text, the reader is tasked with being storyteller as well. In this instance, I wrote about birds soaring out of the wallpaper in “The Third-Floor Bedroom.” It was a delightful fantasy, if I do say so myself.
While it’s time for me to move on from posting on The Rose Examiner, I will continue to keep up with my Facebook followers on All Things Rose Parade, at least for a while. I truly hope you enjoyed reading my articles and paging through my photos, and that the information was useful. I enjoyed meeting all the wonderful people, in person and online, that I would not have come to know without this work.
Be happy, stay healthy, and remember that life is beautiful, even if the bed of roses has a few thorns.
The biggest celebrities of them all: the 2020 Tournament of Roses Royal Court. L-R, Rose Queen Camille Kennedy, Rose Princesses Emilie Risha, Reese Rosental Saporito, Mia Thorsen, Michael Wilkins, Rukan Saif, Cole Fox.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
At the Tournament of Roses Parade, the real celebrities are the gorgeous floral creations that float along the parade route on New Year’s Day. The 131st Rose Parade, held on Jan. 1, 2020, was no exception. But that doesn’t mean there are no human celebrities! Riding along Colorado Blvd. in flower-bedecked antique vehicles is a tradition for the people that the current president chooses to represent the theme she has chosen, this year, Pres. Laura Farber chose “The Power of Hope.”
You can read more about them by exploring the 2020 Tournament of Roses page on this website. You can see them, nestled in the seats of beautiful vehicles and waving to the crowds, in the gallery below. Information about the cars is in the captions.
Grand Marshal Rita Moreno, actress, singer, dancer, activist, and EGOT winner, rode in a 1910 Pope-Hartford Touring Car, owned by Gary and Sheryl Hunter and driven by Cole Capps.
Grand Marshal Gina Torres, actress and opera singer, is known for her roles Firefly and Suits. She rode in a 1911 Pope-Hartford model W with a seven-passenger touring body. The Gooding family has owned this car for over 50 years.
Grand Marshal Laurie Hernandez, winner of Olympic Gold and Silver medals as a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team, rode in a 1910 Pope-Hartford Model T. It was restored in the 60's by Bill Harrah from Harrah's casinos.
Grand Marshals Laurie Hernandez and Gina Torres take the turn from Orange Grove Blvd. to Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets usher in the Royal Court.
Tournament of Roses Royal Court for 2020, on a float caped with roses: Rose Queen Camille Kennedy, with Rose Princesses on the left, Emilie Risha, Mia Thorsen, Rukan Saif; on the right, Reese Rosental Saporito, Michael Wilkins, Cole Fox.
2020 Tournament of Roses Royal Court: Rose Queen Camille Kennedy, with Rose Princesses on the left, Emilie Risha, Mia Thorsen, Rukan Saif; on the right, Reese Rosental Saporito, Michael Wilkins, Cole Fox.
2020 Tournament of Roses Royal Court, L-R, Rose Queen Camille Kennedy, Rose Princesses Emilie Risha, Reese Rosental Saporito, Mia Thorsen, Michael Wilkins, Rukan Saif, Cole Fox.
Camille Kennedy, the 102nd Rose Queen.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band made its 91st appearance in the Rose Parade. The PCC Lancer Band is joined 230 high schoolers who auditioned for slots. Kyle Luck is the PCC Director of Bands.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band made its 91st appearance in the Rose Parade. The PCC Lancer Band is joined 230 high schoolers who auditioned for slots. Kyle Luck is the PCC Director of Bands.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band made its 91st appearance in the Rose Parade. The PCC Lancer Band is joined 230 high schoolers who auditioned for slots. Kyle Luck is the PCC Director of Bands.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band made its 91st appearance in the Rose Parade. The PCC Lancer Band is joined 230 high schoolers who auditioned for slots. Kyle Luck is the PCC Director of Bands.
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band made its 91st appearance in the Rose Parade. The PCC Lancer Band is joined 230 high schoolers who auditioned for slots. Kyle Luck is the PCC Director of Bands.
Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek (waving with left hand) rode in a handcrafted replica of an 1880 Abbott Downing Hotel Coach. It can accommodate 24 passengers. The eight-horse hitch of rare black and white colored from Express Ranches is owned by Bob Funk of Yukon, Okla.
Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek (waving with left hand) rode in a handcrafted replica of an 1880 Abbott Downing Hotel Coach. It can accommodate 24 passengers. The eight-horse hitch of rare black and white colored from Express Ranches is owned by Bob Funk of Yukon, Okla.
Rose Bowl Hall of Fame honorees Class of 2019: A representative of Eddie Casey (Harvard), Jacque Robinson (University of Washington), Cornelius Greene (Ohio State), Matt Leinart (USC). In celebration of its 250th anniversary, the City of Monterey, Calif. lent its first mechanized fire engine, a 1916 Seagrave, to the TOR.
Tournament of Roses Pres. Laura Farber rides with her husband Tomás Lopez and their children Christopher and Jessica in a 1911 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost owned by Gary and Sheryl Hunter.
Tournament of Roses Pres. Laura Farber rides with her husband Tomás Lopez and their children Christopher and Jessica in a 1911 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost owned by Gary and Sheryl Hunter.
Pres. Farber added Honored Guests to the parade this year. Sonia Manzano, “Maria” on Sesame Street, Jaime Jarrin, the Spanish voice of the Dodgers, and Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space rode in a 1915 Pierce Arrow Model 48.
Pres. Farber added Honored Guests to the parade this year. Sonia Manzano, “Maria” on Sesame Street, Jaime Jarrin, the Spanish voice of the Dodgers, and Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space rode in a 1915 Pierce Arrow Model 48.
Barnstormer and daredevil C.P. Rodgers piloted the first plane to fly over the Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 1912. The plane in the photo is not his usual aircraft, the Wright Model EX Vin Fiz, but a spare Model B.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
Quick question: When did the flyovers of the Rose Parade begin? If you said in 1997 at the 108th Tournament of Roses Parade, with the B-2 Spirit “stealth bomber” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the US Air Force, you would be…wrong!
The first flyover was 85 years earlier, in 1912 at the 23rd Rose Parade. Broadcaster and barnstormer C.P. Rodgers, after a historic cross-country flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific, flew over the parade in his plane Vin Fiz, a Wright Model EX. He dropped flowers along the entire route; some say they were rose petals; others say it was 10,000 carnations.
Born Calbraith Perry Rodgers, the aviator had undertaken the transcontinental flight to garner a $50,000 prize offered by William Randolph Hearst, but he missed the deadline by 19 days. On April 3, his plane was hit by birds during an exhibition over Long Beach, Calif. and he died in the crash at age 33. This was the first recorded instance of a fatality resulting from a bird strike.
Such an impromptu flight would not be allowed today, of course, what with security and other aircraft taking up airspace over the route.
Nonetheless, he is remembered for his daring flights, his huge personality, and for being the first aviator to fly over the Rose Parade. He was so popular with parade-goers that they gave him the title of King of the Rose Parade, the first in a short line of three. There was no Rose Queen that year, so folks created their own royalty.
Parade-goers still enjoy looking up to see the B-2 and other Air Force wonders fly overhead, as well as the Goodyear blimp and the occasional small planes dragging banners or puffing out ads. Here are some examples.
B-2 Spirit at the 2020 Rose Parade
B-2 Spirit at the 2020 Rose Parade
It’s a marvel of engineering, the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The shape makes it difficult for radar detection, but most impressive to parade-goers—besides the sheer beauty of this war machine—is that it can’t be heard until it is almost overhead. It has a wingspan of 172 feet and weighs 160,000 pounds, but for its massive size, it is frighteningly quiet. For the first time in Rose Parade history, the crew of two pilots included a woman: Lt. Col. Nicola “Rogue” Polidor with Major Justin “Rocky” Spencer
Goodyear blimp videos the 2020 Rose Parade
Goodyear blimp videos the 2020 Rose Parade
To residents of the Pasadena area, the Goodyear blimp is a frequent sight when games are held in the Rose Bowl Stadium. On New Year’s Day, it does double duty in taking overhead video the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game. A ride in the blimp is one of the exciting events that the Tournament of Roses Royal Court gets to do.
Pasadena parrots at the 2018 Rose Parade
Annual visitors—the parrots of Pasadena
People local to Pasadena love to come to the Rose Parade, but they aren’t the only ones who enjoy the festivities. Every year, the flocks that make their homes in or near Pasadena make an early morning trek to circle the over the grandstands. This photo is from 2018.
B-2 stealth bomber and F-35 fighters at the 2018 Rose Parade
In Memoriam
The 2018 flyover added two F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in a tribute to organ donation. The F-35 to the left of the bomber represented giving life (organ donors) and to the right, receiving life (organ recipients). Organ donor USAF Maj. Benjamin “Chex” Meier piloted the plane on the left before he lost his life; it was flown by a close friend for the Rose Parade.
Hawk flies beneath B-2 stealth bomber and F-35 fighters at the 2018 Rose Parade
And yet another feathered flyover
What appears to be a hawk flies below the Air Force formation. After all, the airspace is free to birds!
“Stories Change Our World” sponsored by The UPS Store won Sweepstakes in the 131st Rose Parade with its display of golden lion tamarin monkeys.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
“The Power of Hope,” theme of the 131st Tournament of Roses, inspired floats with different stories to tell, but all with optimism and aspiration. From the humor of dodo birds flying a zeppelin to men and women in a cargo ship crossing the ocean in 1620 seeking freedom, the floats were a panoply of artistry, imagination, beauty, and hope.
Below are three photo galleries with images of the award winners in four categories: Sweepstakes, Entertainment Value, Float Design, Floral Design. There are six self-built winners and floats from professional builders AES, Fiesta Parade Floats, and Phoenix Decorating Company. The captions name the award and give a little information about each entry.
Sweepstakes: The UPS Store “Stories Change Our World.” Tamarin monkeys were created with layers of bronze and golden strawflower, gold and orange marigold petals, and stems of Mokara, Oncidium, and James Story orchids.
Sweepstakes: The UPS Store “Stories Change Our World.” Tamarin monkeys were created with layers of bronze and golden strawflower, gold and orange marigold petals, and stems of Mokara, Oncidium, and James Story orchids.
Extraordinaire: Chinese American Heritage Foundation “American Heroes,” a salute to the men and women who served in World War II on the 75th anniversary of its end.
Extraordinaire: Chinese American Heritage Foundation “American Heroes,” a salute to the men and women who served in World War II on the 75th anniversary of its end.
Wrigley Legacy: Kaiser Permanente “Courage to Reimagine.” The Yellow Brick Road winds through a village where Ozites have access to health care, healthy foods, and a safe community.
Wrigley Legacy: Kaiser Permanente “Courage to Reimagine.” The Yellow Brick Road winds through a village where Ozites have access to health care, healthy foods, and a safe community.
Judges: Donate Life “Light in the Darkness” speaks to the hope that organ, eye, and tissue donation brings to donors, recipients, and families. Floragraphs honor the deceased donors.
Judges: Donate Life “Light in the Darkness” speaks to the hope that organ, eye, and tissue donation brings to donors, recipients, and families. Floragraphs honor the deceased donors.
The Cowboy Channel’s Rodeo New York Gold Buckle Brigade ushers in the Cowboy Channel float. Each rider earned her buckle on the professional rodeo circuit.
Showmanship: The Cowboy Channel “Walk Ride Rodeo” celebrates Amberley Snyder, who returned to barrel racing after being paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident, and the return of the rodeo to Madison Square Garden after 30 years.
Showmanship: The Cowboy Channel “Walk Ride Rodeo” celebrates Amberley Snyder, who returned to barrel racing after being paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident, and the return of the rodeo to Madison Square Garden after 30 years.
Float Design
Theme: Pasadena Celebrates 2020 “Years of Hope, Years of Courage” marked the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment. One hundred women in suffragette dress followed the float.
Theme: Pasadena Celebrates 2020 “Years of Hope, Years of Courage” marked the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment. One hundred women in suffragette dress followed the float.
Theme: Pasadena Celebrates 2020 “Years of Hope, Years of Courage” marked the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment. One hundred women in suffragette dress followed the float.
Bob Hope Humor: La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. “Dodo Bird Flight School” celebrated the hopes of flightless birds. Dodos cluster aboard a dirigible, led by an emu trying out a whirlybird.
Bob Hope Humor: La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. “Dodo Bird Flight School” celebrated the hopes of flightless birds. Dodos cluster aboard a dirigible, led by an emu trying out a whirlybird.
Bob Hope Humor: La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. “Dodo Bird Flight School” celebrated the hopes of flightless birds. Dodos cluster aboard a dirigible, led by an emu trying out a whirlybird.
Director: Cal Poly Universities” Aquatic Aspirations.” Undersea explorers chance on a sunken ship that has become a home to a treasure of sea life. Bubbles float from the submarine.
Director: Cal Poly Universities” Aquatic Aspirations.” Undersea explorers chance on a sunken ship that has become a home to a treasure of sea life. Bubbles float from the submarine.
Crown City Innovator: Trader Joe’s “It Takes a Flight of Fancy.” The Fearless Flyer jets out of the clouds in barrel-rolling pickle barrel. Trusty crew members and the Fearless Flyer puppet come along for the ride.
Crown City Innovator: Trader Joe’s “It Takes a Flight of Fancy.” The Fearless Flyer jets out of the clouds in barrel-rolling pickle barrel. Trusty crew members and the Fearless Flyer puppet come along for the ride.
Grand Marshal: Chipotle Mexican Grill “Cultivate the Future of Farming.” Many of the 51 fresh ingredients served at Chipotle restaurants are used in the decoration of the float. The riders are young farmers, a reminder that as older farmers retire, younger ones are needed,
Grand Marshal: Chipotle Mexican Grill “Cultivate the Future of Farming.” Many of the 51 fresh ingredients served at Chipotle restaurants are used in the decoration of the float. The riders are young farmers, a reminder that as older farmers retire, younger ones are needed,
Fantasy: Northwestern Mutual “Spend Your Life Living.” A family of llamas tube down a Llazy River, with coats of ivory carnations and strawflower for their legs and faces.
Fantasy: Northwestern Mutual “Spend Your Life Living.” A family of llamas tube down a Llazy River, with coats of ivory carnations and strawflower for their legs and faces.
Animation: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day “Plant a Garden…Believe in Tomorrow.” Dancing fruit and flowers remind folks that a garden is full of hope as small seeds grow into beautiful and healthy plants.
Animation: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day “Plant a Garden…Believe in Tomorrow.” Dancing fruit and flowers remind folks that a garden is full of hope as small seeds grow into beautiful and healthy plants.
Americana: General Society of Mayflower Descendants “The Voyage of Hope—1620” memorializes the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims in North America. The bright colors worn by the riders are accurate for the time.
Americana: General Society of Mayflower Descendants “The Voyage of Hope—1620” memorializes the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims in North America. The bright colors worn by the riders are accurate for the time.
Golden State: Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens “Cultivating Curiosity” depicts some of the iconic landmarks at The Huntington. Mary Cassatt’s “Breakfast in Bed,” Edward Hopper’s “The Long Leg,” and the Ellesmere Chaucer represent the collections.
Golden State: Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens “Cultivating Curiosity” depicts some of the iconic landmarks at The Huntington. Mary Cassatt’s “Breakfast in Bed,” Edward Hopper’s “The Long Leg,” and the Ellesmere Chaucer represent the collections.
Mayor: South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. “Victory at Last.” A huge straw hat, ballot box, and plenty of purple, green, and gold—the colors of the Women’s Suffrage movement—celebrate 100 years of federal voting for women.
Mayor: South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. “Victory at Last.” A huge straw hat, ballot box, and plenty of purple, green, and gold—the colors of the Women’s Suffrage movement—celebrate 100 years of federal voting for women.
Floral Design
President: Sierra Madre Rose Float Assn. “Ka lā hiki ola” (“The Dawning of a New Day”). Tropicbirds soar around a lush floral island with rotating tikis and Hawaiian dancers on and around the float.
President: Sierra Madre Rose Float Assn. “Ka lā hiki ola” (“The Dawning of a New Day”). Tropicbirds soar around a lush floral island with rotating tikis and Hawaiian dancers on and around the float.
Isabella Coleman: AIDS Healthcare Foundation “Hope for the Homeless.” Tiny homes call attention to two crises: homelessness and affordable housing. AHF has lent its voice to several different causes with its floats over the years.
Isabella Coleman: AIDS Healthcare Foundation “Hope for the Homeless.” Tiny homes call attention to two crises: homelessness and affordable housing. AHF has lent its voice to several different causes with its floats over the years.
Queen: Dole Packaged Foods “Sunshine for All.” A brilliant sun packed with 60,000 roses in shades fading from orange to yellow to white greets the new day. An additional 20,000 roses fill the deck gardens.
Queen: Dole Packaged Foods “Sunshine for All.” A brilliant sun packed with 60,000 roses in shades fading from orange to yellow to white greets the new day. An additional 20,000 roses fill the deck gardens.
Leishman Public Spirit: Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. “Rise Up” honors the courage and spirit of hope that arise out of the ashes of California’s most deadly and devastating fire season in 2018. Beneath the phoenix, a waterfall and renewed growth create a haven for wildlife.
Leishman Public Spirit: Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. “Rise Up” honors the courage and spirit of hope that arise out of the ashes of California’s most deadly and devastating fire season in 2018. Beneath the phoenix, a waterfall and renewed growth create a haven for wildlife.
Princess: City of Torrance “Our Garden of Hope and Dreams” recreates the Pine Wind Garden at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. At the front is a pond with leaping koi and a sunning turtle.
Princess: City of Torrance “Our Garden of Hope and Dreams” recreates the Pine Wind Garden at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. At the front is a pond with leaping koi and a sunning turtle.
Princess: City of Torrance “Our Garden of Hope and Dreams” recreates the Pine Wind Garden at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. At the front is a pond with leaping koi and a sunning turtle.
Past President: City of Hope “City of Hope.” The Tree of Wisdom at the center symbolizes the different branches of science and care at the 107-year-old research and treatment facility. The lush floral decoration uses 85,875 roses, orchids, delphinium, and other flowers.
Past President: City of Hope “City of Hope.” The Tree of Wisdom at the center symbolizes the different branches of science and care at the 107-year-old research and treatment facility. The lush floral decoration uses 85,875 roses, orchids, delphinium, and other flowers.
Founder: Downey Rose Float Assn. “On the Wings of Hope.” “Paper” cranes winging over a Japanese garden bring happiness, wisdom, health, and hope. Downey queen and princesses grace the float.
Founder: Downey Rose Float Assn. “On the Wings of Hope.” “Paper” cranes winging over a Japanese garden bring happiness, wisdom, health, and hope. Downey queen and princesses grace the float.
International: China Airlines “Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope.” A cheerful airliner bursts out of a music box, along with other icons of Taiwan, from noodles to lanterns to spinning tops and a skyscraper.
International: China Airlines “Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope.” A cheerful airliner bursts out of a music box, along with other icons of Taiwan, from noodles to lanterns to spinning tops and a skyscraper.
Tournament Volunteer: Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee “Hope Connects the World” is joined by Optimist International. A floating penguin is guided on an international journey by a crew of Rotarians and Optimists, tethered to common ideals.
Tournament Volunteer: Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee “Hope Connects the World” is joined by Optimist International. A floating penguin is guided on an international journey by a crew of Rotarians and Optimists, tethered to common ideals.
For The Rose Examiner, the week between Boxing Day and the Showcase of Floats is packed with preparations for the Tournament of Roses Parade and visits to the barns to see the floats in the final stages. We especially like being able to talk to some of the people who are working on the floats.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a couple weeks since we spoke with folks during Deco Week. We had conversations with Linda Cozakos and Erik C. Andersen at Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, and Harry Gill and Maninder Minu Singh, creative director of the Sikh American Float Foundation, in the Phoenix Decorating Company barn.
Be sure to check out the photos in the gallery below for the two floats in progress
Burbank “Rise Up”
Erik C. Andersen and Linda Cozakos explain the various choices of botanicals for the beak of the phoenix on “Rise Up.”
Burbank’s 88th Rose Parade entry won the Leishman Public Spirit Award for most outstanding floral design and display from a non-commercial participant. In keeping with the parade theme “The Power of Hope,” the float depicted a giant phoenix being reborn from the ashes of the 8,527 wildfires that destroyed 1,893,913 acres of homes, businesses, farmland, and wildland in California 2018. A waterfall in front, surrounded by lush vegetation, offered hope that the land will be renewed.
Named “Paradise” in honor of the town that was nearly wiped out in the Camp Fire—two of designer Lisa Long’s nephews battled the fire there—the bird’s body rose and fell and head turned side to side. In a first for Burbank, three fireballs shot out of the tail feathers.
We talked to Cozakos and Andersen about the florals used for the colors and textures on the phoenix. Floral decorators always keep an eye out for new materials or ways to use old ones, and the beak of the bird had a rather unusual choice.
Cozakos said the frilly acorn caps lining the top of the beak can only be found in Griffith Park on one particular tree. One of the members of BTORA discovered them and has returned to collect them as needed. Mustard seed, fava beans, dried mango, and two purple potatoes for nostrils completed the beak, with vermilion Chinese lanterns around the eyes.
The feathers on the face and body were whole magnolia leaves and palm leaves that had been torn into thin strips. The leaves were covered with ground yellow and orange marigolds, sumac, and paprika to simulate the fiery colors of the phoenix.
Remembering a different kind of tragedy, roses with the names of the Saugus High School shooting victims attached were on the float, as well as dried agapanthus from the school. The roses will be returned to the parents after the parade.
Sikh American “Planting Seeds of Hope”
Harry Gill and Minu Singh stand before the Sikh American float.
The theme of the Sikh American float was realized with a fanciful garden and rotating carousel filled with children of various ethnicities. Through selfless service to humanity with love, respect, compassion, and humility, Sikhs hope to nurture an environment in which children can grow and thrive.
A sculpture of Bhai Ghaneya Singh sat at the front, pouring water out of a leather bag. Bhai Ghaneya was a compassionate man who carried water to the troops in the 1704 war of Anandpur Sahib. Harry Gill told us the story behind the image.
Bhai Ghaneya gave water to both the Sikhs and their Mughal enemies, thus planting seeds of love. For this, he was brought before Guru Gobind Singh. Bhai Ghaneya’s defense was “I see God in every one of them.” The Guru replied, “Give everyone water and also apply medicine on their wounds,” Gill said. “He’s the forerunner of the Red Cross, more than 300 years ago.”
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, said “there is only one God of the whole world; the same light shines in every person,” Gill said, regardless of color, creed, or gender. “Even emperors are born of women.”
For the second consecutive year, The UPS Store won the Sweepstakes trophy. “Stories Change Our World” was designed by Charles Meier and built by Fiesta Parade Floats.
Here’s the breakdown on the 131st Tournament of Roses Parade award-winning floats builders: AES, 2; Fiesta Parade Floats, 10; Phoenix Decorating Company, 6; self-builts, 6. The last time all six self-built floats won awards was 2016. The associations did a great job with animation, float design, and floral presentation this year.
Here are the winning designers: Michelle Lofthouse, 5 (Phoenix); Mike Abboud, 4 (Fiesta); Art Aguirre, 2 (Fiesta); Charles Meier, 2 (Fiesta); Stanley Meyer, 2 (Fiesta); John Ramirez, 2 (AES); Rachel Lofthouse, 1 (Phoenix)
South Pasadena does not have a float barn, and builds the float under the only concrete bridge designed by architects Charles and Henry Greene.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
Your Rose Examiner spent three consecutive days walking the float barns, and came back with tons of photos. For these galleries, I’ve chosen one of each float, shots I particularly like, just to give a flavor of the process and introduce readers to the floats that will glide along the Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2020.
The barns and decorating sites were pretty packed and the decorators were working furiously to get the dry dec on. I managed to fit in two conversations, one with Erik C. Andersen and Linda Cozakos at Burbank Tournament of Roses Association., and one with Harry Gill and Minu Singh at the Sikh American float in the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, which can be read here.
Photos in Gallery A were taken on Dec. 28 and 29, and include AES and five self-built floats (we didn’t go down to the Downey float barn). Gallery B was taken on Dec. 30 at Phoenix Decorating Company. Gallery C was also taken on Dec. 30, at Fiesta Parade Floats.
Deco Week Gallery A
Sierra Madre Rose Float Assn., La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn., AES, Cal Poly Universities, South Pasadena Rose Float Assn., Burbank Rose Float Assn.
Sierra Madre Rose Float Assn.
La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn.
A plethora of flowers ready to be put on the Rose Parade vehicles that will carry Tournament of Roses celebrities
University of Oregon cheerleader float (Wisconsin is similar, in red)
China Airlines
Pasadena Celebrates 2020
Blue Diamond Almonds
Amazon Studios
American Honda Motor Company
Cal Poly Universities
South Pasadena Rose Float Assn.
Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. This is the first time Burbank has used fire on a float.
Deco Week Gallery B
Phoenix Decorating Company
City of Alhambra
The Cowboy Channel
City of Hope
Western Asset Management Company
Opening show mobile platform
Lutheran Laymen's League
Wescom Credit Union
Trader Joe's
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
The SCAN Foundation
Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day
Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee
Lions Clubs International
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Kiwanis International
Tournament of Roses Royal Court
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Rose Float
Sikh American Rose Float Assn.
Farmers Insurance
Deco Week Gallery C
Fiesta Parade Floats
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente
City of Torrance
Donate Life
Chinese American Heritage Foundation
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Underground Service Alert of Southern California (DIGALERT)
The 131st Tournament of Roses is packed with 90 entries, including bands, equestrians, opening and closing shows, a special mid-point Frozen extravaganza, and of course, flower-covered floats. The parade starts at 8 a.m. sharp on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. The order is subject to changes, but for now, this is what it is.
For those wondering about the floats that missed the cameras in the 2019 Rose Parade due to being behind the rather spectacular breakdown of the Chinese American Heritage Foundation float, they are back, and closer to the front in the 2020 parade. Underground Service Alert (DigAlert) has moved from 87 to 16 and South Pasadena Tournament of Roses is at 42, up from 85. It is hoped that being at that fortuitous number will ensure smooth sailing, even though the float is still behind CAHF, which is number 20.
For more about the Rose Parade and information about all the events between now and Jan. 3, check out these links:
1. Rose Parade Opening Spectacular: Ally Brooke, Emilio Estefan, Farruko and the Chino Hills High School Drumline
2. U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit flyover
3. Honda float, Our Hope for the Future
4. United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard
5. United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
6. Cal Poly Universities float, Aquatic Aspirations
7. Arabian Horse Association
8. General Society of Mayflower Descendants float, The Voyage of Hope – 1620
9. Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment
10. Burbank Tournament of Roses Association float, Rise Up
11. Grand Marshals Laurie Hernandez, Rita Moreno and Gina Torres
12. Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee float, Hope Connects the World
13. Japan Honor Green Band
14. Downey Rose Float Association float, On the Wings of Hope
15. Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team
16. Underground Service Alert of Southern California float, The Power of Safety FIRST
17. The PRIDE of Owasso Marching Band
18. Chipotle Mexican Grill float, Cultivating the Future of Farming
19. 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment
20. Chinese American Heritage Foundation float, American Heroes
21. Helsingør Pigegarde (Elsinore Girls Marching Band)
22. Lutheran Laymen’s League float, Anchored in Jesus
23. Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets
24. Royal Court
25. Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band
26. Pasadena Celebrates 2020 float, Years of Hope. Years of Courage.
27. Mayor of Pasadena Terry Tornek and the Express Clydesdales
28. Rose Bowl Game, University Float A
29. Rose Bowl Game: University Band A
30. AIDS Healthcare Foundation float, Hope for the Homeless
31. Aguiluchos Marching Band
32. Westcom Credit Union, Better Together float: Hope Creates Community
33. Horsewomen of Temecula Wine Country
34. Trader Joe’s float, It Takes a Flight of Fancy
35. Baldwinsville Marching Bees
36. Northwestern Mutual float, Spend Your Life Living
37. Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Eddie Casey, Cornelius Greene, Matt Leinart and Jacque Robinson
38. Rose Bowl Game, University Float B
39. Rose Bowl Game, University Band B
40. Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens float, Cultivating Curiosity
41. Banda Municipal de Zarcero
42. South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, Victory at Last
43. 2020 Tournament of Roses President Laura Farber
44. Alhambra Unified School District Marching Band
45. City of Alhambra float, Hope Keeps Us Going
46. Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team
47. La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association float, Dodo Bird Flight School
48. Mid-parade Performance: Disney’s “Frozen” Broadway musical
49. The Valley Hunt Club
50. The UPS Store float, Stories Change Our World
51. 2020 Tournament of Roses Honored Guests: Jaime Jarrín, Sonia Manzano and Ellen Ochoa
52. Sikh American Float Foundation float, Planting Seeds of Hope
53. Greendale High School Marching Band
54. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day float, Plant a Garden … Believe in Tomorrow
55. Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team
56. Odd Fellows and Rebekahs float, First Responders Bring Hope
57. Pearland High School Marching Band
58. The SCAN Foundation float, Hope’s Heroes: Honoring Caregivers of All Generations
59. Mini Therapy Horses
60. Shriners Hospitals for Children float, Hope Knows No Limits
61. Centenaria Banda Colegial
62. Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, Ka lā hiki ola (The Dawning of a New Day)
63. Budweiser Clydesdales
64. Dole Packaged Foods float, Sunshine for All
65. Kamehameha Warrior Marching Band and Color Guard
66. City of Torrance / Torrance Rose Float Association float, Our Garden of Hope and Dreams
67. Scripps Miramar Ranch (equestrian unit)
68. Western Asset Management float, Growing a Better Tomorrow
69. Southern University “Human Jukebox” Marching Band
70. Kaiser Permanente float, Courage to Reimagine
71. Knott’s Berry Farm (equestrian unit)
72. Kiwanis International float, Soaring with Hope
73. The Cowboy Channel’s Rodeo New York Gold Buckle Brigade
74. The Cowboy Channel float, Walk. Ride. Rodeo.
75. Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Band
76. Amazon Studios float, Troop Zero
77. Banda El Salvador: Grando Como Su Gente
78. Lions Clubs International float, Hope for 2020
79. Buffalo Soldier Mounted Cavalry Unit
80. Blue Diamond Growers float, Almond Breeze, The Best Almonds Make the Best Almond Milk
81. West Harrison Hurricane Band
82. City of Hope float, City of Hope
83. The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band
84. Donate Life float, Light in the Darkness
85. Spirit of the West Riders
86. Farmers Insurance float, Conveyor of Hope
87. Los Angeles Unified School District, All District High School Honor Band
88. China Airlines float, Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope
89. Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers
90. Closing Show: “Where Flowers and Football Meet!” featuring Los Lobos and Alejandro Aranda
The Chinese American Heritage Foundation returns to the Rose Parade with a tribute to WWII Congressional Gold Medal honorees.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
As promised, here is the most complete public listing of the floats that will appear in the 131st Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2020. The chart below lists the sponsor, title, builder, and designer for each of the 42 floats. The awards presented in 2019 are also noted.
New sponsors this year are General Society of Mayflower Descendants, celebrating 400 years since Plymouth Rock; Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, for its centennial; Pasadena Celebrates 2020, the centennial of the 19th Amendment; The Cowboy Channel, to promote its upcoming rodeo in Madison Square Garden; The SCAN Foundation; and Wescom Credit Union. Long-time sponsors who were in the 2019 parade are all returning, but still absent are Lucy Pet, Miracle-Gro, Singpoli, and the City of Los Angeles. Also missing are 24 Hour Fitness and the American Armenian Rose Float Association.
There are 39 sponsored entries, six of them self-built, and three Tournament of Roses entries, including the Royal Court float and two floats for the schools playing in the 106th Rose Bowl Game. Phoenix decorating company tops the numbers with 18 floats, followed by Fiesta with 11 and AES with five, seven if they build the team floats, which they have done in the past.
The most prolific designer is Michelle Lofthouse of Phoenix Decorating, with 18 entries. Sometimes, designers cross boundaries and create concepts for more than one commercial builder, but this year, they break down by company: AES, John Ramirez (4); Fiesta, Michael Abboud (4), Stanley Meyer (3), Art Aguirre (2), Charles Meier (2); Phoenix, Michelle Lofthouse (17), Rachel Lofthouse (3).
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131st Tournament of Roses Parade Floats
Sponsor
Title
Builder
Designer
2019 Award
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
“Hope for the Homeless”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Art Aguirre
Amazon Studios
“Troop Zero”
AES
John Ramirez
American Honda Motor Company
“Our Hope for the Future”
AES
John Ramirez
Blue Diamond Almonds
“The Best Almonds Make the Best Almondmilk”
AES
John Ramirez
Burbank Tournament of Roses Association
“Rise Up”
Self-Built
Lisa Long
Animation
Cal Poly Universities
“Aquatic Aspirations”
Self-Built
Student designed
Extraordinaire
China Airlines
“Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope”
AES
John Ramirez
International
Chinese American Heritage Foundation (CAHF)
“American Heroes”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Mike Abboud
Chipotle Mexican Grill
“Cultivate the Future of Farming”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Mike Abboud
City of Alhambra, CA
“Hope Keeps Us Going”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Princess
City of Hope
“City of Hope”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
President
City of Torrance
“Our Garden of Hope and Dreams”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Art Aguirre
Tournament Volunteer
Dole Packaged Foods
“Sunshine for All”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Mike Abboud
Wrigley Legacy
Donate Life
“Light in the Darkness”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Charles Meier
Judges
Downey Rose Float Association
“On the Wings of Hope”
Self-Built
Thom Neighbors, Carrie Redfox
Farmers Insurance
“Conveyor of Hope”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Rachel Lofthouse
Queen
General Society of Mayflower Descendants
“The Voyage of Hope – 1620”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Mike Abboud
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
“Cultivating Curiosity”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Kaiser Permanente
“Courage to Reimagine”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Stanley Meyer
Kiwanis International
“Soaring with Hope”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association
“Dodo Bird Flight School”
Self-Built
Ted Baumgart, Grant Delgatty
Founder
Lions Clubs International
“Hope for 2020”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Lutheran Laymen’s League
“Anchored in Jesus”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day
“Plant a Garden…Believe in Tomorrow”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Americana
Northwestern Mutual
“Spend Your Life Living”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Stanley Meyer
Bob Hope Humor
Odd Fellows Rebekahs Rose Float
“First Responders Bring Hope”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Pasadena Celebrates 2020
“Years of Hope, Years of Courage”
AES
AES
Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee
“Hope Connects the World”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Shriners Hospitals for Children
“Hope Knows No Limits”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Rachel Lofthouse
Theme
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association
“Ka lā hiki ola”
Self-Built
Jason Redfox
Director
Sikh American Float Foundation
“Planting Seeds of Hope”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Isabella Coleman
South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association
“Victory at Last”
Self-Built
Michael Mera
Mayor
The Cowboy Channel
“Walk Ride Rodeo”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Rachel Lofthouse
The SCAN Foundation
“Hope’s Heroes”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
The UPS Store, Inc.
“Stories Change Our World”
Fiesta Parade Floats
Charles Meier
Sweepstakes
Tournament of Roses
2020 Royal Court
Phoenix Decorating Company
Preston Bailey
Tournament of Roses
Rose Bowl Game Team: University of Oregon
N/A
N/A
Tournament of Roses
Rose Bowl Game Team: University of Wisconsin
N/A
N/A
Trader Joe’s
“It Takes a Flight of Fancy”
Phoenix Decorating Company
Michelle Lofthouse
Crown City Innovator
Underground Service Alert of Southern California (DIGALERT)
Tournament of Roses President Laura Farber surrounded by the Royal Court: Princesses Rukan Saif, Mia Thorsen, Emilie Risha, Queen Camille Kennedy, Princesses Reese Rosental Saporito, Michael Wilkins, Cole Fox
by Laura Berthold Monteros
With a snip of oversized goldens scissors, Rose Queen Camille Kennedy and the Tournament of Roses Royal Court opened the 36th Annual Visitors Hotline phone bank on Dec.11, two weeks earlier than usual. The Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau hosts the hotline to provide fast and accurate information about the 131st Rose Parade, 106th Rose Bowl Game, and the City of Pasadena.
Christine Susa, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Center, told The Rose Examiner that the earlier calls are “less hectic” and more about hotels and the Rose Bowl Game teams than those that come after Christmas. “It’s more, ‘We just got our tickets, now what,” she said.
Lined up behind the wide red ribbon, the girls on the court grinned widely when Queen Camille cut the ribbon to officially open the hotline. Each station has a phone and bound book with all—or at least most—of the information volunteers need to help visitors to the 131st Tournament of Roses. The phones started ringing immediately, but we had a little time between calls to speak with the young women. One thing that is evident in watching and talking with this court is the way they enjoy each other. There was a lot of laughter this morning. Be sure to check out the gallery below!
College dreams and special birthdays
We started with Princess Reese Rosental Saporito, the youngest and tallest member of the Royal Court.
“She just turned 17 yesterday,” Queen Camille piped up. Reese said that she “doesn’t feel super different;” after all, she isn’t heads above the others (nor very much younger, though Dec. 31 is the deadline for Royal Court members to be at least 17.). She did acknowledge that sometimes she has to squat a bit for photos.
Camille has a birthday of her own coming up. She will turn 18 on Dec. 22. While she had traditional birthday celebrations growing up, despite being so close to Christmas, her last two birthdays were in Tokyo with her host family. They went out for sushi, then came home to traditional Japanese cakes. They’re very small, she said, each slice is a quarter of the cake.
We asked Princess Rukan Saif about her application to Yale College. (A disclaimer here, one of the offspring of The Rose Examiner attended Yale.) She said she will hear on Monday. She plans on studying history with an eye to law school and a professorship.
“All of us are finding out very soon,” she said, sounding pretty excited about it.
Princess Mia Thorsen is also waiting to hear from the many colleges to which she has applied. Her first choice is Brown University in Providence. Princess Emilie Risha said she had applied to schools in California, and has already been accepted to Saint Mary’s College of California in the Bay Area, and has received the highly competitive Presidential Scholarship.
Covering all her bases for the Rose Bowl Game, Princess Cole Fox has been accepted to the University of Oregon and is waiting to hear from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Ducks and Badgers will face off in the 2020 Rose Bowl Game. Cole applied to colleges all over the country that have outstanding biology programs, in preparation for going to med school.
“I’m open to whichever school has the best opportunities,” she said.
We asked Princess Michael Wilkins if she was a celebrity at her school. “I get a few ‘Hey, Princesses,’” she said, and sometimes applause when she enters a classroom. She says she and her parents talk about her role on the court all the time.
Both Reese and Mia attend Marshall Fundamental High School in Pasadena, and shared that they get have fun together after school. Reese reminded us that the last princess from Marshall was Queen Madison Triplett in 2015. In honor of the two, the school is putting up a display in the hall. The official Tournament of Roses photos have just been sent over for the display.
“It’s exciting,” Reese said. “It’s a special experience for the school and for us.”
An innovative president
Laura Farber has expanded the boundaries of the Rose Parade. Her tenure has seen the inclusion of more women and Latinos than in the past, matching the diversity of the Pasadena area and the Tournament of Roses Association, and she has added a brand-new half-time show to the parade.
“It’s the largest international stage that exists,” she said in her introductory remarks. “This year is really spectacular,” It’s the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote in federal elections, and a woman will pilot the B-2 in its flyover.
We asked her about the half-time show, “Frozen 2,” which will occur at the mid-point in the parade. Some followers of our Facebook page, All Things Rose Parade, have expressed concerns that the show will only perform for the video cameras on Orange Grove and Colorado.
“It’s been off-the-charts positive,” she replied. The performance will continue all along the parade route, not just for the cameras. “We want to give everyone a treat.”
“We’re trying to appeal to a broader audience,” she added, to balance the traditional and the innovative. “We have something for everybody, to appeal to everybody.”
In addition to Farber, officials attending were Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek and Vice-Mayor Tyron Hampton; Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Michael Ross, Executive Director Jeanne Goldsmith, and Director of Marketing and Communications Christine Susa; and Tournament of Roses Executive Director/CEO David Eads.
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David Eads, Christine Susa, Tyron Hampton, Laura Farber, the Royal Court, Jeanne Goldsmith, Terry Tornek, Michael Ross
The Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Visitors Hotline ribbon cutting. L-R: Princesses Rukan Saif, Mia Thorsen, Emilie Risha, Queen Camille Kennedy, Princesses Reese Rosental Saporito, Michael Wilkins, Cole Fox
Queen Camille cuts the ribbon, officially opening the 36th Annual Visitors Hotline
Each station has a phone and an information book to help visitors to the 131st Tournament of Roses. Volunteers and employees assist the young ladies.
It must have been a surprise when the caller was greeted with, “Visitors Hotline. This is Queen Camille.”
Princesses Mia Thorsen and Emilie Risha on the job
Princesses Mia and Emilie having fun on the job
Princess Michael Wilkins working the Visitors Hotline phone bank
Princess Cole Fox working the Visitors Hotline phone bank
Princess Rukan Saif working the Visitors Hotline phone bank
Queen Camille Kennedy and Princess Reese Rosental Saporito take a minute to pose
With a snip of oversized goldens scissors, Rose Queen Camille Kennedy and the Tournament of Roses Royal Court opened the 36th Annual Visitors Hotline phone bank on Dec.11, two weeks earlier than usual. The Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau hosts the hotline to provide fast and accurate information about the 131st Rose Parade, 106th Rose Bowl Game, and the City of Pasadena.
