by Dot Cannon

Pasadena Tournament of Roses®’ 131st Rose Parade®, on Wednesday morning, January 1, was welcoming 2020 in style.

Traditional and new equestrian units pranced proudly into the first morning of the New Year.  A number of bands made their debut parade appearances.

Every one of the six “self-built”, or noncommercial float builders who had entered a float, won an award.

And now, people were exclaiming–and laughing.

La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association had won the Bob Hope Humor trophy, for “Most Whimsical and Amusing Float”.  The audience was discovering why!

The float, themed “Dodo Bird Flight School”, was constructed in two parts.

A propeller-equipped dodo bird led the way.

The main body of the float was a blimp, with flightless birds soaring above the clouds!

Kiwis, penguins, emus and ostriches were made of materials which included strawflower for beaks, and pinecone segments for their feet.  Their Captain, the dodo bird, was decorated with silverleaf and onion.

“Dodo Bird Flight School”, which is LCFTRA’s 42nd Rose Parade® float, used more than 11,000 roses to create the clouds below the airship!

Another Rose Parade® debut

A new feature characterized the 2020 parade, which was themed “The Power of Hope”.

A mid-parade performance, exclusively for the Rose Parade®, starred the cast of the FROZEN North America tour company!

After performing one of the show’s signature production numbers, “For the First Time In Forever”, the cast rode by in a late-1800’s sleigh, pulled by two Percherons,  “Decorating Places”  visitors had had an opportunity to get a look at the sleigh on the previous Sunday.

The top prizewinner

As always, any summary of the Rose Parade® is going to fall short of doing it justice.  The 2020 parade featured 39 floats, 20 selected bands and 17 equestrian units among its participants.

But one highlight, every year, is the appearance of the top float prizewinner.   Tournament of Roses® gives the “Sweepstakes Award” to the float entry which best encompasses the three principles of float design, floral presentation and entertainment.

The 2020 winner: the UPS Store’s “Stories Change Our World”, which Fiesta Parade Floats  created!

Here was the float during the decorating process on Sunday, December 29th….

 

…and here is more of a closeup on the parade route.

The endangered golden lion tamarins, depicted here living in harmony in the wild, are created through a unique process.  To get the gold color of their coats, Fiesta made a base coat of bronze and gold strawflower petals.

Then, they highlighted the big cats’ “fur” with bands of gold and orange marigold petals.  Thousands of stems of  Mokara, Oncidium and James Story orchids complete the process, according to the Tournament of Roses®.

Showcasing their skill

Appearing in the Rose Parade® for the first time this New Year’s Day were the Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team.

Based in Three Oaks, Michigan, the Cowgirls have been invited to events throughout the Midwest, and have won numerous parade awards.  Their honors include multiple awards for Best Mounted Unit at the Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Parade.

A few minutes later, spectators saw the only band in the parade that’s been in existence for over 100 years.

Puerto Rico’s Centenaria Banda Colegial was founded in 1914.  From the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus, they’re the only marching band on the island of Puerto Rico.

While Puerto Rico is still rebuilding from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria, 2020 is the second year in a row that a Puerto Rican band has appeared in the Rose Parade®.

Horses, hope and a new dawn

“So cute!” one parade attendee exclaimed, as the Mini Therapy Horses made their appearance.

This ia an all-volunteer nonprofit which has eight highly trained miniature horses.   The teams of horses and volunteers visit sites throughout Southern California, providing comfort to both children and adults.

Among the locations they visit: Ronald McDonald House, in Pasadena; L.A. Family Housing; and Department of Children and Family Services Juvenile Court in Monterey Park. As members of the Los Angeles Mayor’s Crisis Response Team, Mini Therapy Horses have responded to crises such as the mass shootings in Las Vegas and San Bernardino, and the Woolsey Fire.

Shortly after the Mini Therapy Horses came the final “self-built” float: Sierra Madre Rose Float Association.

Themed “Ka la hiki ola”, or “The Dawn of a New Day”, it won the President’s Award for “Most Outstanding Use and Presentation of Flowers”.

The tikis in the Hawaiian landscape are covered with redwood bark and walnut shells.  Green ti leaves, with green parsley underneath, decorated the fronds. With waterfalls and hula dancers on board, the float depicted the message that every sunrise brings a fresh, new start.

Walking on sunshine – for five miles

On the Sunday prior to New Year’s Day, this is how the Dole float had looked, as Fiesta Parade Floats completed the decoration process.

And, for its parade appearance…

Katrina and the Waves’ 1980s hit “Walking on Sunshine” poured from the float as these outwalkers (outdancers?) kept up with the beat!

An equestrian preview

In their parade appearance, the Cowboy Channel’s Rodeo New York Gold Buckle Brigade were previewing a special event.

These equestrians are world champions of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.  Their appearance in the Rose Parade® marked  the first time all these current World Champions came together at once.

And the reason for their appearance?  In support of the Cowboy Channel’s Rodeo New York, which is set to bring the first professional rodeo in 32 years to New York’s Madison Square Garden on Father’s Day weekend.

Pyrotechnics heralded the arrival of the Cowboy Channel’s float.

Themed, “Hope, Ride, Rodeo”, it won the Extraordinaire Award for “Most Extraordinary Float”.

Nationally-ranked rodeo barrel racer Amberley Snyder is the inspiration, both for the rodeo’s return and for this particular float.  She’s returning to rodeo after barely surviving a car crash which left her paralyzed from the waist down.

Amberley Snyder is depicted at the front of “Hope, Ride, Rodeo”.  Among the materials which float creator Phoenix Decorating company used to create her likeness: black seaweed for her hat, and white powdered rice and light-grey ground pepper for her gloves.

And yes, that mechanical bull is bucking and spinning!

Inspiration after the ravages

With the theme “The Power of Hope”, the 2020 Rose Parade® was both a celebration and an inspiration for a new year, and a new decade.

An especially inspiring band was making their debut parade appearance.

The West Harrison Hurricane Band, “The Pride of Mississippi”, were formed from FEMA grant money after Hurricane Katrina, in 2009.

They grew from 80 members to 215, and they now have three concert bands, three chamber ensembles, two winterguard units and an indoor percussion group!

The 2020 Tournament of Roses® Parade had been an incredible community gathering, as well as living up to its moniker, “America’s New Year Celebration®”.

Los Lobos got their audience moving and clapping as they starred in the Grand Finale, “Where Flowers and Football Meet”.

Performing “Let’s Go” and “La Bamba”, they brought the 131st Rose Parade® to a festive close.

Happy New Year, Pasadena!  Here’s wishing everyone a New Year, and a new decade, that’s equally full of color, creativity and inspiration.

This is Part Four of a four-part series.  Here are our links to Part One, Part Two and Part Three.