Dozens of creative floats of all shapes and sizes will glide down Colorado Avenue in Pasadena on January 1 as part of the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.
Countless volunteer hours go into decorating the floats, which are covered with thousands of flowers, including roses. According to news sources, one float could have as many as 60,000 roses, each in individual vials of water. All told, more than 15 million flowers and greenery are used in every Rose Parade.
The City of Newport Beach will be represented with an impressive float in the 135th Annual Rose Parade, the first time since 2006 when the town’s Rose Parade float celebrated the 100th anniversary of Newport Beach becoming a city.
Newport Beach & Co. and Visit Newport Beach have put out a call for volunteers to help decorate the Visit Newport Beach float. This is a rare opportunity for individuals and groups alike to become an integral part of the magic that graces the nation’s TV screens on January 1.
Visit Newport Beach’s float, aptly titled “Jingle on the Waves,” promises to draw attention as the longest float entry in Rose Parade history. But what sets this float apart is its concept. It’s a tribute to the beloved Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, essentially creating a parade within a parade. The design showcases iconic Newport Beach landmarks including the Fun Zone Ferris Wheel and the Balboa Pavilion, all crowned by a magnificent 20-foot Christmas tree.
Volunteers will be afforded a peek into the final stages of float preparation, where a variety of seeds, bark, fruits, vegetables, grasses, and, of course, flowers are meticulously applied by both seasoned professionals and dedicated volunteers. Volunteers as young as thirteen are encouraged to participate in this unique opportunity to contribute to the magic of the Rose Parade. The volunteering shifts span four to eight hours, allowing participants to immerse themselves in the behind-the-scenes excitement of float preparation.
All volunteer decorators will be required to sign a waiver, and dressing appropriately for the decorating task is important as float decorating can involve glue and paint.
Join Visit Newport Beach to help decorate the float, and then watch the parade on January 1 to admire your handiwork.
Available volunteer decoration dates include: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31.
Please visit https://bit.ly/NBRoseParade to sign up for a volunteer timeslot.
Founded in January 2013, Newport Beach & Company is a non-profit organization established to serve as the official marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. The agency brings together all of the marketing entities connected to the Newport Beach brand and is designed to oversee separate business units that include Visit Newport Beach, Celebrate Newport Beach, Enterprise Newport Beach and Newport Beach TV. For more information, please go to www.VisitNewportBeach.com.
