Burbank Tournament of Roses 2019 “Stopmpin’ Good Time”

The 2019 Rose Parade marked my sixth time working on a float for Burbank Tournament of Roses.  Deco Week is always the highlight of my holiday season, doing something special, crafty and meticulous with friends I see time and time again, to a breathtaking result.  

This year's parade theme centered around "melodies of life."  So our bayou band fit into the theme having a "Stompin' Good Time."  There are typically three to four thousand roses on the Burbank float, but for this one eleven thousand roses were ordered, many in heirloom shades.  

Because there were so many live flowers on this float, much of the work couldn't be done until the final hours.  So the remaining work was menial sorting of small beans, seeds, and dried flowers.  I took my friend's mother in from out of state to decorate, and we spent an afternoon sorting tiny white sesame seeds from flakes of dried green parsley.  This was the detritus of decorating two small frogs that were riding on the back of the float.  The mix needed to be separated so that a second coat could be applied to any bald patches after the first go-round. 

Inside the barn, just before pulling out for judging.

One of the best moments associated with the float is being there to witness final judging.  The barn is buzzing with activity as details are rushed to completion; the float is pulled out to the neighboring metro parking lot in the full sun.   The parking lot is swept.  There are bleachers for those needing to sit, but many more people line the edge of the lot, shooting photos until the phone call comes - the judges are approaching!  Viewers are urged to turn cellular phones to silent, and the crowd is hushed.  Several vans with the official seal pull into the lot and are parked in VIP spaces.  The animation and soundtrack is started up, and the float comes alive.  For five minutes, officials with clipboards circle the float while everyone stares.  After a long-held breath, a bell is rung, signifying the end of judging.  The crowd erupts in applause, and judges pose in front of the float for photographs.  Results won't be known until the next morning.  Everyone takes their selfies, and the crowd disbands with hugs and goodbyes until next year.  

For 2019 Burbank's float took the award for best animation, a really big deal to have won!  But I was more enthralled with our score.  We have a composer who writes original music each year.  Some years it has sounded canned or tinny to me.  But this year's music sounded great, and was totally in keeping with the theme of the float. 

Waiting for placement above are the frogs that I helped to decorate!  The white sesame on the belly was mixed with the green parsley of the frog's body.  And below is how they were situated on their log on the back of the float.