A Family Tradition is started in Pasadena
My Grandmother was celebrating her first birthday in cold, snowy central Illinois when the first Tournament of Roses Parade was held in Pasadena, California. The Tournament of Roses committee was founded in 1895 and wanted to let the world know how beautiful their city was on January 1st. They decked out horse drawn carriages with roses and other flowers that were so abundant in Southern California, then added flowers to the horses, got a few bands for a Parade down Orange Grove Blvd and Colorado Blvd. to begin a 123 year old tradition . They had photographs and postcards made; newspapers covered the parade and the rest is history.
Not only my history but many families have a tradition around this parade. The host on ABC's coverage of the 2012 parade shared how his mother cried when he told her he was coming home to cover the parade.
This is my family tradition. Living in Pasadena, it was a given you would have contact with the Rose Parade. My parents took us and we sat in the bleachers set up along Colorado Blvd. When my parents divorced my mother rented a house on Cooley Place just a few short blocks from Victory Park where the parade ended and the floats were on display for a few days. The man we rented the house from had horses and was part of a mounted group that road in the parade each year. My sister would join the neighborhood kids to go down and pluck orchids and roses from the wilting floats just before they were moved to be dismantled. I remember with awe viewing those huge constructions that were completely covered with organic material. My most vivid memory was the wonderful smell of the flowers. I’ve always loved roses and flower since then.
In 2012 this Rose Float Showcase is a paid admission area where the floats are displayed after the parade, for close-up viewing. The floats are parked along Sierra Madre and Washington Boulevards in Pasadena, near Pasadena High School and Victory Park, for three hours after the parade. On the day after the parade (occasionally two days when January 3 falls on Saturday or Sunday), the first two early morning hours (7-9) are reserved for seniors and the disabled, and the rest of day's worth of viewing for the general public. There were three days of viewing in 2010, Jan. 1 (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Jan. 2 and 3. A fair-like environment with food and souvenir vending stands is created for public enjoyment. Handicap access and assistance is provided. Some of the animated floats are put on display with their animation running. Unfortunately, as time goes on the flowers wilt and thus the best viewing is right after the parade.
The father of one of my childhood friends, Lynn Sluder Dotts, was a businessman and volunteered for the Tournament of Roses Committee and wanted to work his way up to be chairman one day. I don’t know if he ever made it but I do know he wore the traditional white suit. I was very impressed with this man’s dedication as a community volunteer. All the girls I grew up with wanted to be in the parade, most desiring to be the Queen or one of her court. At the time you had to attend Pasadena City College, so that was one of my goals. But alas, we moved to Pomona when I was in fifth grade and by then I realized that that dream wasn’t going to happen.
We did however watch the parade on TV whenever possible. It became a New Year’s tradition. This year was unique. Only 14 times in the history of the Parade did January 1 fall on Sunday; and the committee made a decision early on to postpone the parade to Monday so people could attend church.
The Junior Rose Bowl Parade
When I attended Cerritos Jr. College I played in the band and it just happened that one year our football team won the honor of playing in the Rose Bowl and I was able to march in the Junior Rose Bowl Parade. It was held much earlier around Thanksgiving. The Junior Rose Bowl game was played in the same stadium as the Big Game Event. The Junior Rose Bowl was played from 1946–71 and 1976–77. Between 1946–66 and 1976–77, the game pitted the California Junior College football champions vs. The NJCAA football champions for the National Championship. It was organized by the Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Junior Rose Bowl became the Pasadena Bowl football game from 1967–71; it was billed as the Junior Rose Bowl the first two years, but instead two teams from the NCAA College Division competed (then later the University Division, usually featuring teams that were not invited to other major bowls). Downey Rose Float
After college I began working as the Director for the Downey Museum of Art in Downey, California and became involved in their Downey Rose Float Association Committee. Because of this affiliation I often submitted designs for a float and finally my design was selected for the Downey entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade in the Bi-centennial year of 1976. I watched the men at the Downey Maintenance Yard build the chassis over the engine, weld the rod iron or rebar structural elements to match my design. I got a call to come down to correct one of the positions of a pair of oxen pulling a conestoga wagon because they couldn’t get it quite right. We twisted it’s head up and rearing to the side and it worked. On the float where Miss Downey and her court rode there was a reference to a lunar lander at the rear the space shuttle takes off over planet earth. These images tell the story of Downey's history from Pioneer to Space. Rockwell International was located in Downey and the Space Shuttle was built there.
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| 1976 Downey Rose Float entitled "Tomorrow the Stars" |
My design didn't win any prizes. It was quite an experience to see this float being built from the ground up. I even got to glue flowers on our float (every part of the flower is used; and the building smells fabulous, but it's COLD) and I'll always remember sleeping beside it after it was lined up ready to go in line with the other floats on Orange Grove Blvd. the night before. This was to guard it. Passing people wanted to pick off the flowers. Also that glue... I had to throw away the clothes I wore when I glued seed and flowers onto the skin coating the structural parts and it was permanent glue (had glue on my hands and everywhere, even after using the solvent.)
You had to be sixteen to work on attaching flowers, leaves, grass and seeds to the float. So when my family moved back to the United States from Mexico I wanted my daughter to see what it was like to participate in building a float. I called the Downey Rose Float Association and got permission for her to participate and our family took a week of vacation and stayed with my sister in Downey. My daughter really did get the chance to work on the 2003 Downey Float for a couple days, but was so excited that she got to stay up long hours into the night before it had to pass inspection to get out onto the road and it’s trip from Downey up to Padadena. We enjoyed a bus trip to the parade (didn’t have to worry about parking, walking, etc) AND had great seats. We even got to sleep on the trip home because we were all so tired. It was the culmination of a family tradition for me.
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| 2003 Downey Float Construction- Shown here sorting flower parts |
My daughter commented last year on this opportunity, “Something I will always remember fondly was getting to work on Downey's float with my cousin back in 2002. We stayed up ALL night to get it done in time and then went in the morning to watch the parade.” She now has a son age 5 and a small daughter age 15 months. Wonder if they will ever get the chance to work on a Rose Parade Float?
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| My Daughter and Her Cousin in front of the 2003 Downey Float |
Here is the professional photo of the 2003 Downey Float entry entitled "Midnight Rescue"
2012 Downey Float Entry Wins Award
I still enjoy watching the parade every year. This year Downey’s float won The Founder’s Award for Most Beautiful Self-built Float. There are very few floats that are in this self-built category. Most floats are designed and built by professional companies. This year Downey’s entry was called “Enchanted Paradise” and featured a volcano, water slide, and Easter Island-style statues.
Way to Go Downey!!!!
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