by Dot Cannon
Another breathtaking float was headed down Colorado Boulevard.
Pasadena’s 2020 Tournament of Roses® Parade, on Wednesday morning, had been going on for approximately twenty minutes. It had already wowed spectators.
Now, “On the Wings of Hope”, created by the Downey Rose Float Association, had appeared. Depicting a Japanese garden, it featured costumed riders in Japanese kimonos against a background of cherry trees.
Throughout the float, in keeping with the 2020 parade theme “The Power of Hope”, were the Japanese symbol of hope and healing: origami cranes. A solid white crane took flight at the front of the float.
And for nonprofit Downey Rose Float Association, the float was, once again, an award-winner.
Earlier that morning, it had received the Founders Trophy: “Most Outstanding Float Built and Decorated by Volunteers From a Community or Organization”.
This would be the twentieth award Downey Rose Float Association has received over the years they’ve been entering their floats in the parade, according to their website. (They’ve won the Founders Trophy thirteen times previously.)
The challenge
As with every Rose Parade®, no post or series of posts can do this one justice. Musicians, equestrians and float builders have poured their hearts and souls into creating their best work for the world to see on New Year’s Day.
With that in mind, though, here are some of the highlights of what we saw.
Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team were back for their second consecutive year in the Rose Parade®. While our zoom lens just did not want to cooperate, we can tell you they were at their sparkly blue best–right down to the glittery blue covering on their mounts’ hooves!
As a nonprofit, Blue Shadows “sparkles” in a lot of other ways. They teach children of all ages leadership skills and discipline by teaching horsemanship. Blue Shadows, according to the Tournament of Roses®’ media guide, has five troops of equestrians who ride one night weekly. Among the activities in which members participate are trail rides, parades, and working towards competitions.
Fiesta Parade Floats created the Chipotle float, themed “Cultivate the Future of Farming”.
As mentioned in a previous post, the Chipotle float was designed with the goal of encouraging viewers to support the next generation of farmers.
Riders on the float included young farmers and some of the managers of Chipotle. (And this particular float won Tournament of Roses®’ “Grand Marshal” award, for “Most Outstanding Creative Concept and Float Design”!)
Wowed by heritage
A few minutes later, along came another Fiesta-built float which we’d seen in its “deco” stage. This one won Tournament of Roses®’ “Extraordinaire” award, for “Most Extraordinary Float”.
“War Heroes” is the Chinese-American Heritage Foundation float’s theme. Honoring World War II heroes who’d received the Congressional Medal of Honor, it featured a reproduction of that medal on its sides.
Here is how the float, which commemorated the 75-year anniversary of the end of World War II, looked on Sunday…
…and here is how it looked on New Year’s Day, as it turned the corner of Colorado and Orange Grove.’
From Denmark to Pasadena
Following the Chinese American Heritage Float came Helsingor Pigegarde. (Translated as, “Elsinore Girls Marching Band”.)
Back for their second appearance in the Rose Parade®, they’re the only all-female marching band in the 2020 parade. The band, from Hornbaek, Denmark, play different festivals around Europe.
Rose Parade® royalty
The appearance of Pasadena City College’s Herald Trumpeters, a few minutes later, could mean only one thing.
102nd Rose Queen® Camille Kennedy and her Royal Court were coming!
And right behind them came the official band of the Tournament of Roses®: the Pasadena City College Honor Band.
2020 marked the band’s 91st consecutive appearance in the Rose Parade®!
Playing “It’s a Small World”, they marched into the New Year–and another chapter in Rose Parade® history.