Page Title

All you ever wanted to know about floats in the Pasadena Rose Parade!

You know - the big parade in sunny Southern California!  The one that happens each New Year's Morning!

From a self-built float point of view.

We Have a Float

With our design variance being denied, we made the decision to gmove on to our second-choice design.  Its called "Mechanicla Medlodies" and was the concept of my good friend, Dustin, who serves as our chief engineer/construction/animation guy.  I hate it. 

We don't yet have a rendering to show, so I'll try to describe it:  It has some robots on it and they're surrounded by musical things - think stacks of cymbals, pinwheels, pipe organs (I call them periscopes), horns, drums, xylophones, and other noise-makers.    I saw absolutely nothing to tie it together.

Its the opposite of Rainforest Fiesta, which I loved from the first second.  I saw Rainforest and immediately knew what to do with it - large tropicals, fruits, bright colors, orchids hanging from the trees; it was the float I'd always wanted to build.

But robots with muscial stuff??  Its a mechanical float, an engineer's float, a flaot on which Dustin can explore the question of, "just how many things can I make move?"  Did I mention that Dustin's a rocket scientist in real life?  Did I mention that I hate this float?  What was I supposed to do with this?  The float was busy; I was afraid that once I got material and color on it, it would just become busier. 

So, I called Jacob, our artist.  "Watcha thinkin' here?" I asked. I wasn't happy wth the answer - bright, primary colors (those can be hard to come by in floral material, I thought) and lots of geometric shapes.  "Uh-huh", I said, still not enthused.  "What colors are you thinking for the robots?"  "Red and yellow, even if we have to do them in float mums."  Red and yellow robots!!??  In float mums??!!  That just sent me over the edge.  I got off the phone. 

"Red and yellow robots in float mums??!!" I said to Brian.  Admittedly, I was a little hysterical.  "We need to call Dustin", he said.

So, the first official float-related, late night, phone call to Dustin was placed last Thursday.  "Its a floating cacaphony!" I complained.  "A floating what?" both Dustin and Brian asked.   "A cacaphony!"  "Bright, primary colors?!  Red and yellow robots?!" O.k., o.k., so I was a little hysterical again.  I get like that. 

Dustin sent us a few more line drawings.  Ahhh . . . the internet can be so helpful.  We took bits of one and pieces of another and finally came up with a float.  It still has robots and a cacaphony of musical stuff, but at least we nixed the red and yellow on the robots.  I found places to put roses and Dustin can still see how many things he can make move.  It took an hour and 38 minutes, but I don't think I hate it quite as much.

Design Variance Denied

The Executive Committee denied our request for a design variance.  I wasn't surprised and I believe it was the right decision.  They felt our request was deviating too far from what float's are supposed to be about.  I agree.

That sends us on to our second design choice.  At least we can get started on something now.

Hmmm . . . that also means I'd better get around to organizing myself.

April 10

Oh my God, its April!!  Back in January, I thought I'd take January off and then start to clean up and reorganize from deco week so I'd be completely prepared and on top of things this time around.

January went by.

Mid-February, when I hadn't done anything, I thought: well, deco week was a huge amount of work.  I'll just take February off too.

February went by.

March: I got tired of the pile of float-related stuff taking up valuable space on my desk.  Solution:  Move pile to under my desk.

And now its April!!  I had to do something besides move the pile from under my desk to the closed cupboard right next to my desk.  So, yesterday I sent an e-mail to the flower broker we've used for the last couple of years saying we have decided to make a change.  I hate sending those kinds of e-mails.  And, I sent an e-mail to our new flower broker introducing myself. 

Now, if I could just get to that pile . . .

Design Variance

There is an entire book of rules floats must abid by in order to participate in the parade.  The rules cover height, width, safety issues, decoration materials, float drivers, float riders, mechanics and animation, just to name a few.

As always, there are exceptions to the rules.  Exceptions are granted by the Design Variance (DV) Committee.  We've asked for a substantial design variance this year and have already gone before the committee.  As the DV committee put it, our request is quite a deviation from traditional floats and, therefore, they referred the issue to the Executive Committe of the Pasadena Tournament (which is the body that oversees all aspects of the parade).

So, e-mails went out last night with the question:  In the event that our request is denied by the Exec. Committee, do we go forward with our first choice design and make changes or do we go to our second choice.

These e-mails always result in phone calls between myself, Brian (my husband), and our good friend, Dustin.  Dustin is head of construction (sometimes by official title, sometimes not - our Association has bylaws which govern how long any one person can serve in a particular Board position.  Doesn't change what we all do; just what our "official" capacity is.)

We discussed ways to "cheat" to create the same effect we're after with the design variance.  It was quickly decided that those possibilities are far beyond our decorating capabilities.  Hey, we're a volunteer organization, after all and there are some things the professionals can accomplish that we just cannot.

We discussed the pros and cons of design #2.  We discussed past floats, and compared and contrasted those to this year's design possibilities.  We discussed lots of other things.  Its nearly impossible to make a quick float-related decision. 

Finally, we came to the opinion that going to design #2 in the case that our design variance request is not approved, is the way to go.  We should hear from the Exec. Committee towards the end of the month.

The What?

That's the response I get from most people when I say, "I'm the Decorator Chair for the LaCanada Tournament of Roses Parade Association."

"The What?"

Answer:  O.k., you know the big Tournament of Roses Parade that takes place in Pasadena (Southern California) each New Year's morning?  That usually results in a "Yes" or a nod of the head.

Well, the City of LaCanada (although the Tournament is a separate entity) enters one of the six self-built floats in the parade.

"Self-built" - What's that?  "Self-built" means that we are a 100% volunteer organization.  In other words, we are not a professional float builder and our float does not have a corporate sponsor.  We build on what is comparatively shoestring budget (the professionals are spending approximately $500,000 per float; we spend considerably less than half of that).  No one in our organization is paid - from concept to design through actual construction, decoration, and putting a finished float down the parade route.

Why?  Because we love it.  Because its fun.  Because, for me, I think of "float" is my second family.  They are simply the best people I am privileged to know.

Check out our website:  www.lcftra.org.

I'll add pictures as soon as I can figure out how!

Deco Chair

This is another introduction, information article.  Actual updates on current float happenings and my thoughts and frustrations as we go along will be coming later.

First, a bit of background:  I grew up a quick walk away from the float site.  Every year my Dad and I would walk down in the evenings to see how the float was coming along.  I wanted to work on it more than anything but, the minimum age for volunteers is 13.  The year I was 12, with my 13th birthday being just a couple of months away in February was a tough one!

The next year, I was so excited!  I was there early for my first shift on Dec. 26 at 6:00 p.m.

I've been in that same parking lot where the float is decorated every single year since.  I've given up trips and turned down jobs that wouldn't give me the necessary week (and now two weeks) off.

For the past eight or so years (maybe more), my husband (yep, met him at float) and I have been "Head Decorators".  No, we don't just decorate heads!  As such, it is our job to deliver a fully decorated float, ready for the parade route, on the evening of Dec. 31.

What does that involve?  It is our job to decide what order to decorate the float in, when to begin putting on live flowers, and then to instruct the volunteers in decoration.  Every day, three times a day, we are met with a group of volunteers ranging in age from 13 on up.  The groups can number between 20 and 100 people.  We divide them into small groups, explain their tasks, teach decorating techniques, oversee quality, solve problems, and try to have a cup of coffee or eat a doughnut now and then.

I've walked 12 miles a day, around the float, in the parking lot.

Last year, "they", being the Board, gave me the Board position of Decoration Chair (Deco Chair for short).  Now, in addition to the above, I'm responsible for final color and material decisions for the entire float.  I also have to find and order all the materials.  Whew.  Its exhausting, frustrating, maddening, and will make me absolutely crazy come late November. 

I wouldn't trade it for anything.