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Happy New Year 2011 from Pasadena!
January 1, 2011 at 8:47 PM
Cross-posted from ThemeParkInsider.com:
Happy New Year from Pasadena, where we kicked off 2011 with the 122nd annual Tournament of Roses parade!
The Food Network's Paula Deen led the Rose Parade as this year's Grand Marshal.
Perhaps some float designers love Disney theme parks? Castles were a recurring theme in this year's Rose Parade. Here, parade sponsor Honda makes a show for the TV cameras.
Look closely and you might see Honda's ASIMO robot, in flowers, peeking out from under one of those castle arches.
Bayer Advanced also chose a fairy-tale castle theme.
Dole won the Sweepstakes Trophy for Most Beautiful Entry.
The Trader Joe's float won the Animation Trophy:
The Three Little Pigs also appeared in this year's parade. (Courtesy a building supply company, of course.)
Check out the detail in all the various organic material used to create this Native American on the RFD-TV float.
Here's a final look at that Rose Bowl-in-flowers close-up, which I first showed you in our preview earlier this week:
I found one more (very small) theme park reference in this year's parade. That's supposed to the Universal Studios arch, on the City of Los Angeles' float.
Here's something I've been wanting for years in the Rose Parade: a video game-themed float. Okay, it's for the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, so it's not exactly cutting-edge. But it's a start.
Finally, here are your Rose Bowl team marching bands in action. First, from the University of Wisconsin:
And TCU:
Posted on January 1, 2011 at 9:01 PM
Robert is posting the gorgeous photos that he took right at the front of the parade, but the kids and I were stationed at the back, with a group of friends. So here are our observations from the back end...The City of Pasadena does a remarkable (miraculous) job of cleaning up the 5 1/2-mile route after the parade, but my daughter and I found the detritus and the out-of-the-ordinary people and items so interesting as we walked home (we live just a few blocks away) that we had to compile a list. Here's what the archaeologists would find if our society came to a sudden halt right after the Rose Parade:
silly string cans
empty coffee cups
port-a-cribs
burners
half-burned wood
sparkly hats
confetti
policemen
tour bus
horse poop
flower petals
diaper
cigarette box
empty bottle of sparkling cider
plastic chair
bag of empty water bottles
barbecue
foam cups and plates
poppers
silly string on bushes
crushed soda cans
shopping bags
marshmallows
tortillas (people camping on the parade route through marshmallows and tortillas at passing cars all night)
sheriff's car
tow truck
tourists
yellow caution tape
folding chairs
outdoor restaurant heaters
couch cushions
port-a-potties
cigarette butts
charcoal
blankets
seat pads
risers in parking lots
people on the roof
Posted on January 2, 2011 at 12:09 AM
oh that brings back memories! My grandfather rented out parking spaces in his backyard and from there we'd walk just a block to the parade. My home town (South Pasadena) always built their own float. To bring this back to music, I played violin in a Los Posadas parade near the Pasadena courthouse one Christmas season, and of course, our San Gabriel Valley Jr. Symphony Orchestra (or was it the other - ?Pasadena youth orchestra ?) always got to play in the marathon music day that was broadcast on public TV and radio. Ah, those were the days... of warmer weather than IA/MN!
thanks for the flower show! i miss it!
Posted on January 2, 2011 at 12:30 AM
Curious how 'policemen' count as detritus...sleeping? dolls?
Posted on January 2, 2011 at 1:16 AM
Marjory, you are right, policemen are not detritus and of course that's not what I meant. I'll change it a little.
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 4:35 PM
Laurie,
I used to live 1/2 block off of Colorado Blvd. Your list sounds about right. Our dog would pick up left behind "snacks" for weeks afterward.
Have a Happy New Year!
Ann
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