Highlights of 2022 Pasadena Rose Parade Floats
By Jill Brooke
Do you love the Pasadena Rose Parade as much as we do!? Then you’ll love these 4 fun facts about the parade which took place this year, after the pandemic last year forced its first cancellation since World War II. This parade marked the 133rd year of an event that started as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadena’s mile winter weather.
“Star Trek” actor and kids television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was “Dream. Achieve. Believe.”
Here are some fun facts to know.
1)This year’s theme was “DREAM 💫 BELIEVE 💗 ACHIEVE ” originally this theme was set for 2021 but reimagined to capture the spirit of innovation STEM workers have inspired us all within developing new medical treatments.
2) MILLIONS of flowers go into making the parade happen each year. While it is not a requirement the floats be decorated using whole flowers only, they must stick to botanicals ingredients such as foliage, seeds, and crushed petals for color
3) Community members volunteered an estimated 80,000 hours to create this year’s parade 🤯
4) Sustainability is important ♻️ float builders put a special emphasis on composting as much of the floats as possible after they have begun to wilt. Materials that cannot be composted such as bud vases and metal frames are recycled.
Meanwhile, family-owned, Southern California-based Mellano & Company continued a nearly 90-year tradition of providing and sourcing flowers for The Rose Parade. The third-generation floral company was started by Giovanni Mellano, an Italian immigrant flower farmer, in 1925. Mellano & Company has since provided flowers in some shape or form to the Rose Parade for over eight decades. They will supply the flowers for 23 floats (nearly half of the parade’s entries) and police motorcycles either directly via their 400-acre San Diego County farm or its global network of floral vendors.
“This year’s theme of ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’ hits very close to home as we are now the third generation to carry on the humble dream of our grandfather,” says Bob Mellano, vice president of Mellano & Company. “It is a fitting reminder as we look to secure over 665,000 stems of flowers and greens over the holidays across seven states and 15 countries in the midst of global supply chain issues but we will dream, believe and achieve!”
We particularly appreciated the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float, “Vaccinate Our World” though it wasn’t the big winner.
The UPS Store took top honors in Saturday’s 133rd Tournament of Roses Parade, winning the 2022 Sweepstakes Trophy for its entry “Rise, Shine & Read!” featuring a proud father rooster reading to his family of chicks on a 35-foot-tall, 55-foot-long animated float.
The float, built by Irwindale-based Fiesta Parade Floats, demonstrates the importance of literacy.
The Sweepstakes Award honors the most beautiful entry encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment. UPS Store also won this honor in 2019 and 2020.
The other winning floats, 23 in all, are:
Louisiana Travel: “Feed Your Soul”
Wrigley Legacy Award for most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design and entertainment
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day: “Seeding Tomorrow”
President’s Award for most outstanding use and presentation of flowers
Lions Club International: “Quest for Kindness”
Leishman Public Spirit Award for most outstanding floral presentation from a non-commercial participant
Donate Life: “Courage to Hope”
Extraordinaire Award for most extraordinary float
AIDS Healthcare Foundation: “Vaccinate Our World”
Queen’s Award for most outstanding presentation of roses
RFD-TV/Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom: “Wild Kingdom”
Director’s Award for most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral
City of Torrance / Torrance Rose Float Association: “The Embodiment of Nature”
Princess Award for most outstanding floral presentation among entries 35 feet and under in length
Kaiser Permanente: “A Healthier Future”
Theme Award for most outstanding presentation of the Rose Parade Theme
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association: “Nature’s Classroom”
Judges Award for most outstanding float design and dramatic impact
City of Alhambra: “School Rocks”
Tournament Volunteer Award for most outstanding floral presentation of the Rose Parade Theme among floats 35 feet and under in length
City of Hope: “Garden of Hopes and Dreams”
Past President’s Award for most outstanding innovation in the use of floral and non-floral materials
The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation: “Saluting America’s Band Directors: We Teach Music. We Teach Life.”
Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment
California Physical Therapy Association: “Physical Therapists Improve the Way You Move”
Grand Marshal Award for most outstanding creative concept and float design
The Masked Singer: “Anything Can Happen”
Isabella Coleman Award for most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design
Reese’s University: “Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Success.”
Bob Hope Humor Award for most whimsical and amusing float
Cal Poly Universities: “Stargrazers”
Animation Award for most outstanding use of animation
La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association: “Who Says We Can’t?”
Crown City Innovator for most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology
Western Asset: “Let Imagination Be Your Guide”
Fantasy Award for most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination
Trader Joe’s: “You Are Invited”
Americana Award for most outstanding depiction of national treasures and traditions
