100 Reasons to Celebrate
LMU at 100: Learn. Lead. Serve.
Parade order: 68
LMU rings in its centennial with a floral replication of its university in this year’s 123rd Rose Parade. The 55-foot-long float will feature the iconic LMU “bluff” letters — those that overlook both the Pacific Ocean and the L.A. city skyline on campus — composed of hundreds of white carnation petals and surrounded by 53 square feet of green California sod with floral arrangements of bright yellow roses, white anthuriums and yellow iris at its foreground.
Many of LMU’s classic symbols and buildings, like “Leo the Lion” (LMU’s mascot since 1923), the William H. Hannon Library and the Sacred Heart Chapel and Regents Bell Tower, are also being intricately replicated in the design. More than 7,000 gerberas (white, dark lavender, light pink and hot pink) and 12,000 roses (bright yellow, white, dark lavender, hot pink will be used.
The Rose Parade float is a first for the school, and is a special part of LMU’s yearlong celebration of its 100th birthday — honoring its past and celebrating its future as a leading Southern California institution.
“We are proud to celebrate our 100th birthday and participate in one of Southern California’s great traditions by having a float in the Rose Parade,” said president David W. Burcham. “The float showcases the architectural beauty, academic strength and natural setting of our campus. Moreover, it captures the rich religious traditions upon which LMU is founded.”
100 Years of Girl Scouts: What will you do today?
Parade order: 80
Courage. Confidence. Character. Those are the ideals of the Girl Scouts of America, commemorating its 100-year anniversary with a celebratory float in this year’s parade. The float elements highlight this year’s theme, “Just Imagine” and inspire young girls across the country to go out and explore the world — by land (car full of high adventure gear), sea (ship) or air (hot air balloons) — and accomplish whatever dream (painters’ palette and easel) or adventure (Girl Scout with a jet pack soaring into tomorrow) they wish to achieve.
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles council, along with guest Girl Scouts from around the country, spent more than 10,000 “girl hours” decorating the float — incorporating an endless variety of flower petals, stems, seeds, flakes, leaves, berries, hand-polished kidney beans, chips, oats, cornhusk and walnut shells — dressing each handmade element aboard the float to perfection. But perhaps the most innovative feature on board the float is a 30-foot sculpture of a hovering Girl Scout that moves up and down while plumes of carbon dioxide stream from her jetpack. The oversized statuette retracts to 16-feet in less than 30 seconds in order to avoid obstacles along the parade route, like low-hanging wires.
The float’s theme honors current and past scouts, and offers some insight into the opportunities that are sure to inspire young girls everywhere.
Happy Trails: A Tribute to Roy Rogers
Parade order: 90
Celebrating what would have been Roy Rogers’ 100th birthday, this year’s Rural Free Delivery TV (RFD-TV) float will be one of the parade’s biggest and brightest. The float itself measures 75 feet in length and is 35 feet high. Its main feature is a 35-foot-tall central image of the singing cowboy with his name inscribed across a silver horseshoe mirrored and flanked by pearl-handled six-shooters and American flags.
Floragraphs will feature classic scenes of Roy with his dedicated companions: Trigger, the Golden Palomino and Bullet the Wonder Dog. In addition, with the assistance of Roy’s son Dusty and his grandson, Dustin, 100 Golden Palominos with riders will symbolically accompany the float while singing Roy’s legendary folk song “Happy Trails” to the crowd along the way as the entourage rides off into the sunset.
RFD-TV has gone to great lengths to make this an authentic Roy Rogers experience. Collectively, there were over 16,000 flowers used to construct the float, incorporating a mix of 11,000 roses, 5,000 gerberas and 500 carnations.
