Decorating parade floats
The 125th Tournament of Roses Parade was held New Year's Day, in Pasadena, California.
Rose Parade rules require every square inch of float surface be covered with "flowers or other natural botanical materials."...natural botanical materials are defined as substances that "have grown, are growing or will grow." So flowers, seeds, mosses, barks, dried leaves, vegetables and grains can all be employed on floats as long as they’re used in their natural color. Dyeing is not allowed.
--Quote from this article at HGTV's website: Making the Floats
Here are some -- but by no means all -- of the dried materials typically used.
The floats are first painted to match the colors to be used. This is a guide to help the volunteers place the natural materials where they belong.
During Christmas week, the fresh flowers (and there are a lot of them!) are delivered to the "float barns," actually refrigerated tents.
Starting two or three days before the parade, members of the public are allowed into the "barns" to watch the volunteers decorating the floats. (Yes, tickets are required.)
Decorators at work:
For some more in-depth details of the process -- including float construction -- see the HGTV article I've linked above.
Now, here are some specific floats, in progress and after:
"Adventures in Space," by Public Storage Inc.
The concept painting of the float, and various parts of it being worked on.
The finished float.
"Let’s Be Neighbors," by The City of Glendale
A detail of the almost-finished float, still in the tent.
This float features the infamous black bear "Meatball."
The story of the float, and of Meatball
And the complete finished float.
"So Close, Yet Safari Away," by Western Asset Management Company
Float in progress...
...and finished.
"Sunrise at the Oasis," by Dole Packaged Foods
The float in progress:
Click to view
The finished float.
Dancers alongside...
...and riders at the front.
Here's a short gallery of more float prep: Inside the Studio: The Rose Parade Floats
(For sources and photo credits, where available, click the pic to go to my imgur.)
Also posted to randompictures