Sharp Seating: Behind The Rose Parade

The Rose Parade is as American a tradition as Mom’s apple pie. With all the hoopla that surrounds it, one can easily get lost in the celebrations. Ever wondered who’s behind what keeps you comfortable during the parade?

The Sharp Seating Company, the Official Grandstand Seating Company of the Tournament of Roses Parade, has been providing masses the means to keep their legs rested in the midst of fervent celebrations for over 75 years.

However, the family owned Sharp Seating Company is more than just providing seats. It goes much deeper than that.

“Sharp Seating is the official Seating and Ticket Company of the Tournament of Roses Parade. In other words, being official, we pay for the rights to be official and exclusive for the Tournament of Roses Parade. We sell the tickets for the Rose Parade and its events,” says SindeeRiboli, President/General Manager of Sharp Seating Company.

“If you want to go to the Parade, you would call our office and you could order parade tickets for 60 plus grandstands along the parade route,” Riboli adds. “You can order parking for your car or your motor home; we sell motor home camping as well.”

Aside from providing the seats, individual tickets, and parking, the Sharp Seating Company is also where you go to get group tickets, bus parking, Rose Parade programs, souvenir pins, even tickets to Equestfest,Bandfest, Decorating Places or Post Parade.

In other words, more than just seats, the Company provides “one-stop shopping for the Rose Parade and its events,” says Riboli.

Aside from the seats, Sharp Seating Company also fills the grandstands along the parade route including network towers and scaffolding for media, TV platforms, informational towers, and basically “any structure within the compound of the Rose Parade,” adds Riboli.

Being the exclusive logistics provider of the Rose Parade is virtually a year-long job, according to Riboli. “We go on sale to the general public every year, first working day in February. We’re virtually on sale the entire year, except for January,” she explains. “January is the only month we’re closed to prepare for the upcoming year. We’re open December 31st at 6:00 p.m.”

Riboli’s family purchased the Sharp Seating Company from the Sharp family 30 years ago, when Sharp was about to retire. Says Riboli, “My father had been building grandstands for Dave Sharp for the Rose Parade for over 20 years, so he sold the business to my father.”

Handling the business has had its share of interesting stories, and according to Riboli, makes her job much more fulfilling. “One year, I had a man who had served in Desert Storm and he had developed melanoma and was diagnosed with cancer. He was in his 20’s and his mother wanted to take him to see the Rose Parade because it was his wish,” says Riboli. “So of course, we treated them to the most fabulous week.”

Riboli says there are many more stories, and it is those “kinds of interesting, fun and inspirational stories that make us feel there’s a value to the Rose Parade that runs a little deeper than just a parade.”

“It’s more than a parade, it really is.”

To get to know the Sharp Seating Company, visit www.sharpseating.com. For info on tickets, you can call (626) 795-4171 or email tickets@sharpseating.com.

The Sharp Seating Co. and its ticket office is located at 1737 E. Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.