Stop and smell the Roses!

There is something about the Rose Parade that inspires many to stop their activities and sit in front of a television for two hours. Then, there are the million or so people who choose to experience the parade live, in all its fragrant glory. In a world replete with cynicism these two hours generate happiness and a bit of frivolity. People watch just for the sheer joy of it. From exotic coconut to the sensuous red rose, these floral veneers never fail to captivate their annual audience.

It took a group of men with a rose-colored vision to initiate the fanciful and elaborate Pasadena tradition known as the Tournament of Roses Parade. On January 1, 1890 the first horse-drawn entry rolled past approximately 2,000 spectators.

The 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade was themed, “Just Imagine.” The 123rd event was held January 2 due to a “Never on a Sunday” policy since January 1 fell on a Sunday. The temperatures reached the 80s and happy spectators were able to enjoy a warm winter’s day.

The China Airlines float, which was honored with the International Award, featured silverleaf flowers grown at Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers in Rainbow. An intricately decorated smoke-breathing dragon was created in honor of the Chinese Year of the Dragon.

Alan Weaver of Colorado is one of the volunteers who worked on this floral masterpiece. During his past twelve years of float decorating, Weaver has assumed some contortion-like positions in order to glue flowers on floats. He has lain on his stomach and stretched his arms to the limit in order to achieve this goal. This year, almost three stories up on scaffolding, Weaver stretched to set yellow mums on the dragon’s wing tips.

He said that silverleaf, “is tricky,” because one side has a sheen to it and the other is dull. “You need be careful that the glue does not get on the wrong side of the leaves,” he noted.

The Paramount Pictures float, “100 Years of Movie Magic,” featured scenes from some of their more memorable movies, including “Grease,” and “Forest Gump.” Hovering above this float, no doubt at “warp speed,” was a model of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise. The starship was layered with white coconut chips with accents of silverleaf protea petals and black seaweed.

The 35-foot tall “Happy Trails” float was created in celebration of Roy Rogers’ 100th birthday. Serenading the spectators with strains of “Happy Trails” was Roy Rogers, Jr. and his son Dustin Rogers.

Redwood bark and sprinkles of chili pepper, walnut shell and ground coffee are some of the natural elements that gave this float a Western trail flair.

Roy Rogers had the foresight to preserve his palomino Trigger and dog Bullet for future generations. If the animals riding on top of the Roy Rogers float look vaguely familiar – they should. Meet Trigger and Bullet!

As a perfect example of Cal Poly State University’s “Learn by Doing” motto, students from both the San Luis Obispo and Pomona campuses have designed and built floats for the Rose Parade since 1949. For the last thirty years, some flowers, including marigolds and statice, have been grown at the San Luis Obispo campus. The students not only experience the float designing, building and decorating, but the growing and cutting of flowers as well.

Over the years Cal Poly’s entries have won many awards and this year was no exception. The float, dubbed “To the Rescue,” won the KTLA Favorite Float poll.

There is a culture associated with the Rose Parade that fascinates and sometimes puzzles onlookers. Arrive at Colorado Boulevard at around 5 a.m. to catch a glimpse of the fascinating pre-parade “street life” culture. Parade route curbside camping is allowed beginning at noon the day before the parade and just about every space is claimed before the sun rises on parade day.

Hours before the first float rolls down Colorado Boulevard these vigilant “spectators in waiting” have staked out their site. Cocooned in sleeping bags or heavy coats they huddle over “washing machine tub” fires. Some lounge in tents or on inflatable mattresses. Large tables laden with food line the streets. Barbecue smoke clouds a portion of the street. Morning scents along Colorado Boulevard are an odd mingling of coffee, food, wood smoke, charcoal smoke, gasoline fumes and diesel fuel.

The rising sun turns the sky from dark to pale blue. Several Pasadena City Police cars with flashing red and blue lights move in to herd the crowds from the streets and back onto the curbs and sidewalks. Finally, the tub fires are extinguished and the first floats began to appear.

The Rose Parade is fun to watch on television but an awe-inspiring fragrant exhibition when it is viewed live. Whether you want to stay all night and become part of the camping culture or arrive after dawn, the goal is the same – to stop and smell the roses!

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