Pasadena Tournament Of Roses Offers Second Sneak Peek At 2024 Rose Parade Floats

 Get ready for an exhilarating spectacle as the Pasadena Tournament of Roses® gears up for the 135th Rose Parade® presented by Honda! We can barely contain our excitement as we give you a sneak peek into the sensational floral float entries that will captivate audiences worldwide from the iconic Colorado Blvd. on January 1, 2024.

Since the inaugural Rose Parade in 1890, each float has woven a tapestry of unique themes and visual narratives, breathing life into their magnificent creations. Get ready to immerse yourself in the theme of the 135th Rose Parade — “Celebrating a World of Music” — beautifully embodied in the official renderings of the floats from five distinguished participants: Elks U.S.A., Lions International, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Union Station Homeless Services and Visit Lauderdale.

Embarking on the 5 ½ mile Parade route, these floats will unveil their spectacular storytelling, destined to be embraced by the enthusiastic crowds lining the streets and millions of viewers tuning in from coast to coast and around the globe, all coming together for the magic of America’s New Year Celebration®!

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) proudly showcases their impactful community work on their Rose Parade float. The float riders are veterans from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, embodying the Elks’ commitment to supporting the armed forces. Classic Revolutionary War fife and drum icons are proudly at the helm of the float, highlighting battlefield communication, regimental pride and identity. The Preamble to the United States Constitution takes center stage on the float, adorned with a revolutionary war bugle featuring intricate gold braiding. An oversized quill, representing the power of words, is displayed next to the iconic BPOE clock. At the heart of the float, a majestic elk, the emblem of the BPOE, is nestled amidst the stars and stripes of the American flag, signifying the organization’s deep patriotism. The floral materials have no limit in creativity, with the big drum made of fine white ground rice and white mums and the Declaration of Independence made of ground oats, dark brown coffee, walnut shell and black beans. The float is adorned with celebratory fireworks of red carnations and yellow strawflower at the rear, symbolizing the BPOE’s longstanding commitment to community service and its founding principles since 1868. This float represents the Elks U.S.A. and the specific focus on veterans’ support, educational scholarships and fostering youth resilience through athletic programs, emphasizing their multifaceted dedication to their communities with more than 775,000 members. The BPOE vows never to forget veterans, as the Elks members help connect veterans with rehabilitation services, working to end veteran homelessness and support active-duty military personnel and their families.

Lions International takes on some of the most significant challenges facing our communities and the world through the service of 1.4 million members in 49,000 clubs, as well as the grant-funding support of the foundation. Lions International first displayed a float in the 1948 Rose Parade, and this year, in the 2024 parade, Lions International is proud to showcase their float, “Changing the World Through Music,” mirroring the Tournament of Roses 2024 theme of musical harmony and “Celebrating a World of Music.” The ensemble of musical instruments showcases a violin, sitar, Alfaia drum, trumpet and piano, representing instruments commonly played in just a few of the more than 200 countries where Lions and Leos serve. At the forefront of the float lies giant multi-colored keys of red, orange and yellow strawflower, fine ground parsley, light blue and light purple statice. A microphone at the front of the float reminds us that when you join your local club, you join a global ensemble of more than 1.4 million people working to create a more harmonious world through humanitarian service. The focal point of the 35-foot float is the earth adorned in headphones, representing that Lions are always listening to the needs of the world – made of blue and light blue fine-cut statice, green fine ground parsley and white fine ground rice, headphones of black seaweed and highlights of white fine ground rice. Creating a symphony starts with a single note, then another and another, until you have a masterpiece. Similarly, Lions are changing the world through every humanitarian service project and each act of kindness we make every day, no matter how big or small.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that operates two world-class parks—the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park—and empowers people to connect with plants and animals. For the third consecutive year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife joins the Rose Parade with the float theme, “It Began With a Roar”— bringing to life the vibrant sounds and rhythms of nature, offering a global symphony of music and a resounding way of connecting all of us—wildlife, people and the planet we share. From the animated calls of flamingos to the soothing sounds of century-old tortoises, the float will represent the harmonious music of wildlife that echoes across the planet. A lion stands tall on a ridge overlooking the 55-foot float, letting out a thunderous roar—a reference to Rex the lion that sparked a dream more than a century ago and inspired the world-renowned San Diego Zoo 107 years ago. Inspired by Karen at the San Diego Zoo Lost Forest habitat, a Sumatran orangutan will watch intently as a monarch butterfly dances on her finger. Karen, the orangutan, born with a heart defect, was cared for by San Diego Zoo veterinarians receiving lifesaving open-heart surgery from a surgeon experienced in treating people with heart issues. The San Diego Zoo’s Matt Akel will be riding on the float with his wife, Courtney, and their daughter, Meadow. Matt joined the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in 2002 as a wildlife care specialist on the polar bear team, where he cared for 7-year-old Chinook, as referenced by the polar bear at the front of the float. San Diego Zoo continuously evolves to meet the growing needs of wildlife, offering millions of guests who visit to explore immersive conservation experiences and connect with the world’s wildlife.

Union Station Homeless Services is a non-profit organization that strives daily to end homelessness. They serve the San Gabriel Valley community, inspiring everyone to realize they can “Bee the Solution” to ending homelessness. Celebrating its 50^th anniversary, Union Station Homeless Services recognizes the inherent value, dignity and humanity of the people they serve. This whimsical float cleverly titled “Bee the Solution” features bees playing musical instruments at their yellow carnation beehive, offering a light-hearted approach to draw needed attention to one of the heart-breaking crises of our day, homelessness. The bees are lovingly crafted from various types of grass, straw flowers, safflower, and Ti Leaf and flourish in a field of pink and white roses. Black onion seeds and fresh yellow button mums make up their striped bodies, while their clothes feature strawflower, silver leaf, red cranberry, black onion seed, gray flax seed and yellow and orange lentils. Music is a universal language, and housing is a universal need. Working together to end homelessness through housing solutions, supportive services and connection to the community, their Housing First approach has led to a 97 percent retention rate, meaning that 97 percent of the people housed stay housed. The organization advocates for equitable and just systems that ensure all individuals and families have a safe place to call home. Union Station Homeless Services’ hope is that agencies across our country and even internationally use our approach as a template so that we can all work together to end homelessness once and for all. “Bee” will explore the thought-provoking conversations on the “Changing the Narrative Podcast” available at unionstationhs.org.

Visit Lauderdale is the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale welcoming everyone under the sun. Enjoy 24 miles of golden beaches or explore the 31 vibrant municipalities that make up the destination. From thrill seekers to chill seekers, Greater Fort Lauderdale is the ultimate tropical paradise, rich with inclusive communities, thriving arts and culture, delicious flavors and a diverse range of experiences and things to do. As Florida’s most inclusive and diverse destination, people from more than 170 countries speaking 147 languages call Greater Fort Lauderdale home. No matter where your trip takes you, you will be greeted with open arms and a good time. Visit Lauderdale’s “Everyone Under the Sun” brand comes to life with tropical flora native to South Florida, capturing Greater Fort Lauderdale’s history and rich cultures. There’s also a proud nod to the destination, which has become Florida’s LGBT+ capital. The quintessential green lounge chairs and umbrellas atop the sandy beach are surrounded by a unique array of animals from alligators and manatees, sea turtles and, of course, bright coral-pink flamingos with their s-shaped necks. The recognizable white spiral wall separating the beach from the sidewalk, serves as the stage for the heart-pumping live performance perfectly positioned in front of a masterful floral replica of the first-ever guitar hotel. The floral replica stands nearly 23 feet off the ground and nestled between a majestic 21’ yacht representing the “yachting capital of the world” on one side, an icon lifeguard tower appropriately flying the progress flag honoring Greater Lauderdale as the LGBTQ+ Capital of Florida on the other.

Join us on January 1, 2024, to experience the awe and wonder of the floats, bands and equestrian units of the 135^th Rose Parade presented by Honda.