Tournament of Roses Parade floats are flower-covered parade floats, used in the annual New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade held in Pasadena, California. They evolved from flower-decorated horse carriages with the present day requirement that "every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark". Three civic and floral industry leaders judge the floats and award prizes in 24 categories.
Tapioca pearls and cranberry seeds as decorations
Float builders
A flower used on a 2009 Rose Parade float
Designer Nancy Clarke at the White House
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle like a truck or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the Carnival in São Paulo, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, the 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, the United States Presidential Inaugural Parade, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. For the latter event, floats are decorated entirely in flowers or other plant material.
A float at Rio Carnival, 2014
French Quarter Float
Volunteers working on the 2007 Star Wars floats
'Booming city', the winning float of the Zundert flower parade 2008.