Pasadena Rose Parade Float Building

JUDGES Heather de Kok, Judith K. Nakamura and Richard Schulhof determine the fate of the 2024 Rose Parade float winners, granting 24 float awards based on three categories: Float Design, Floral Presentation and Entertainment Value.  The top award is Sweepstakes trophy, which is awarded for the most beautiful entry, encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment.

Self-built float organizations   

Every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark. The most delicate flowers, including roses, are placed in individual vials of water, which are set into the float one by one.

tournamentofroses.com

burbankrosefloat.com | Burbank Tournament of Roses Association Deco Week December 26-December 31, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. or later
December 31  typically finish decorating by second Judging and then will need volunteers after judging to help prepare the float for convoy by clearing all work spaces.
Post-parade float watch volunteers needed

rosefloat.org | Cal Poly Universities (Pomona & San Luis Obispo)  Volunteers 

downeyrose.org | Downey Rose Float Association
Decoration Period 
13030 Erickson Dr.
Downey, CA 90241

lcftra.org | La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association

smrosefloat.org | Sierra Madre Rose Float Association Volunteer Decorating Website has volunteer sign up release form and age restrictions

sptor.org | South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association Deco Week. After volunteer spots are filled, opportunities are first come first serve on-location at 435 Fair Oaks Ave. There are no guarantees for walk-ups.

Deco Week allows the public to get up close and personal to the flowers, the float, and spend about 3.5 hours doing work to make these spectacular floats. It's fun!

History:

The Tournament of Roses Rose Parade began as a way to showcase the perfect California weather. The fun has lasted through 2 world wars, depression, and has survived any one person. It is the oldest, biggest flower-float parade anywhere on earth!

It started as a promotional event created by Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena. Circa winter of 1890, the club members sought ways to promote the "Mediterranean of the West," and hatched a plan. They invited their former East Coast neighbors to a mid-winter holiday, where they could watch games such as chariot races, jousting, foot races, polo and tug-of-war under the warm California sun. Fresh flowers in the winter, orange crops, sunshine and shirt sleeves weather, prompted the club to add another showcase for Pasadena's charm: a parade that precede the competition, where entrants would decorate their carriages with hundreds of blooms.

The parade In New York, people are buried in snow- here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise, said Professor Charles Holder at a Club meeting. The Tournament of Roses was born. The Rose Parade is one of the watched events, broadcast on TV around the world. 

 After the parade each the Rose Bowl football game is held with college football teams competing . The event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to California each January.