Editing Rose Parade (section)

==Floats==
[[File:TOR float with white coat.jpg|thumb|left|Float and "White Suiter" volunteer]]

{{Main|Rose Parade floats}}

Originally the parade featured flower-decorated horse carriages. Over time, floats built by volunteers from sponsoring communities supplanted the carriages. Currently, most are built by professional float building companies and take nearly a year to construct. Some communities and organizational sponsors still rely on volunteers. The [[Valley Hunt Club]] still enters a flower-decorated carriage. The [[Cal Poly Universities Rose Float]] still relies solely on students who volunteer, with the present day requirement that "every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tournamentofroses.com/events/about-rose-parade/#participants |date=2020 |title=Rose Parade Participants - Floats |work=[[Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association]] |access-date=January 1, 2020}}</ref> Floats are self-propelled on (generally used-up) truck chassis{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} in contrast to the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]] which uses trailer-based floats pulled by new, intact ([[Product placement|sponsor-provided]]) trucks.

Typically 48 to 72 hours before parade day, one can view several of the floats being decorated with flowery mantles in the various 'float barns' that dot the [[Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)|Arroyo Seco]] / Rose Bowl area in West Pasadena, not far from the start of the parade. It is a rule of the parade that all surfaces of the float framework must be covered in natural materials (such as flowers, plants, seaweeds, seeds, bark, vegetables, or nuts, for example); furthermore, no artificial flowers or plant material are allowed, nor can the materials be artificially colored. Last-minute volunteer opportunities are usually available.

There are 6 "Self-Built" Floats: [[Cal Poly Universities Rose Float|Cal Poly Universities]], [https://www.burbankrosefloat.com/ City of Burbank], [https://www.downeyrose.org/ City of Downey], [https://lcftra.org/ City of La Canada Flintridge], [https://sierramadrerosefloat.org/ City of Sierra Madre], and [https://www.sptor.org/ City of South Pasadena]. Additionally, there have been a variety of commercial float builders, who, as of 2025, include [https://www.aescreative.com/about-us-creating-award-winning-rose-parade-floats Artistic Entertainment Services] (AES) and [https://phoenixdeco.com/ Phoenix Decorating Company]. Previous professional builders include [https://fiestaparadefloats.com/ Fiesta Parade Floats] (1988-2024), [https://www.facebook.com/p/Paradiso-Parade-Floats-100057088345376/ Paradiso Parade Floats] (2012-2018), and [https://www.facebook.com/charismafloats/ Charisma Floats & Designs] (1987-2011).

[[Anaheim, California|Anaheim city's float]] at the 2008 Rose Parade included the [[Stanley Cup]] that the [[NHL]]'s [[Anaheim Ducks]] had won in 2007, hoisted by player [[Brad May]]. (As the regulations state that the outside of the float must exclusively use [[organic material]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] commentators speculated that the city got an exception to display the Cup.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/news/float-ccix-character-1950338-anaheim-cup|title=Sneak preview of Rose Parade floats |work=The Orange County Register|date=December 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101084824/https://www.ocregister.com/news/float-ccix-character-1950338-anaheim-cup|archive-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref> Also, the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] had a float in celebration of the franchise's 50th anniversary in [[Los Angeles]], with Hall of Fame sportscasters [[Vin Scully]] and [[Jaime Jarrin]] as well as former players [[Steve Garvey]], [[Fernando Valenzuela]], [[Eric Karros]], and [[Nomar Garciaparra]].
[[File:2023 Rose Parade Wizard of Oz.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|Wizard of Oz]] float at the 2023 Rose Parade.]]
The 2010 parade floats included the [[Boy Scouts of America]]'s 100th Anniversary float, the [[List of diplomatic missions of Mexico|Consulate General of Mexico]] in Los Angeles in celebration of Mexico's bicentennial of independence, and "Safety Harbor Kids". The 2010 parade also featured a {{convert|113|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} float from [[Dick Van Patten]]'s [[Natural Balance Pet Foods]], which set a [[Guinness World Records|Guinness]] world record for the longest single-chassis float. The City of [[West Covina, California|West Covina]] paid tribute to the "service and commitment of the [[Tuskegee Airmen]]" with a float entitled ''"Tuskegee Airmen – A Cut Above"'', which featured a large bald eagle, two replica World War II [[Red Tail Project|"Redtails"]] fighter planes, and historical images of some of the airmen who served our country. The float won the Mayor's trophy as the most outstanding city entry – national or international, also [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] float featured the [[2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] that was played at [[Angel Stadium of Anaheim]], four former MLB All-Stars, pitchers [[Mark Langston]], [[Chuck Finley]], and [[Troy Percival]], along with second baseman [[Bobby Grich]] were aboard.

Since January 1, 2012, fell on a Sunday, tradition dictated that the parade would be held on Monday, January 2, 2012. The 2012 Rose Parade had 43 floats, featuring the [[Honda]] float featuring Grammy Award-winning musician [[Kenny G]] aboard, the [[Loyola Marymount University|LMU]] Centennial Celebration float,<ref>Joseph Wakelee-lynch, [http://magazine.lmu.edu/archive/2011/lmu-rose-parade-bound LMU: Rose Parade Bound] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313104836/http://magazine.lmu.edu/archive/2011/lmu-rose-parade-bound |date=2011-03-13 }}, LMU Magazine, March 18, 2011</ref> and the [[Girl Scouts of the USA]] 100th Anniversary float (entitled ''"What Will You Do Today?"''). Float builder Fiesta Floats donated their services to the design of the Girl Scouts float, which was decorated by the organization's volunteers (of all ages).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.girlscoutsla.org/pages/events/TOR_parade.html|title=GSGLA : Tournament of Roses Parade|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110193210/http://www.girlscoutsla.org/pages/events/TOR_parade.html|archive-date=2011-01-10}}</ref> [[Paramount Pictures]] also participated in the 2012 parade with its centennial celebration float "''100 Years of Movie Magic"''. [[Namco Bandai Games]] joined the parade for the first time, commemorating the [[Power Rangers]]. Others were [[Microsoft]] [[Kinect]] ("''You are the Controller"'') and the [[Kit-Cat Klock]] (''"Timeless Fun for Everyone"'').<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kit-cat.com/kit-cat-com/invite-to-kit-cat%c2%aes-80th-bday-in-the-rose-parade%c2%ae/ |title=Invite to Kit Cat®'s 80th bday – in the Rose Parade®! |author=davidm |access-date=2021-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416152700/http://www.kit-cat.com/kit-cat-com/invite-to-kit-cat%c2%aes-80th-bday-in-the-rose-parade%c2%ae/ |archive-date=2012-04-16 }}</ref>

The 2018 Rose Parade was the last parade for the city of [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] after 122 consecutive years sponsoring floats for the Rose Parade. Los Angeles Mayor [[Eric Garcetti]] was aboard the float titled "Everyone is Welcome".