Register for Activities & Classes   |   Buy Tickets   |   Online Forms & Services   |   Home   |

• General Info
• View Shifts
• Register
• 2008 Float Details
• Photos
• Past Floats
• FAQs
• Contact

City of Palmdale's 2008 Rose Parade^® Float

Artistic rendering

Float Fact Sheet

Float Theme
Celebrate the World Through Reading

Builder
Fiesta Parade Floats

How / why was this theme chosen? The City of Palmdale chose the theme "Celebrate the World Through Reading" in order to showcase the abundant opportunities available through reading and education. Career opportunities abound in Palmdale, and the Palmdale Library is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this October.

How does your theme relate to parade theme? This year's Tournament of Roses® parade theme is "Passport to the World's Celebrations". The City of Palmdale chose "Celebrate the World Through Reading" as its entry, tying in the City of Palmdale library's 30th anniversary and emphasizing that reading can take you anywhere you want to go.

Number of Years in Rose Parade
This will be Palmdale's 3rd year in the Tournament of Roses® Parade.

Height: 20 feet
Width: 18 feet
Length: 35 feet

Float Description
Imaginations bloom and continue to grow as children learn to reach beyond their senses as they read about fanciful and historical places, people and stories from around the world. The world becomes a much larger place as it vividly comes alive in books.

Set amid leather-bound books and parchment scrolls, a wise old owl, dapperly attired in a tasseled mortarboard and velvety doctoral robe, encourages reading to the anxious-to-learn baby owlets.

The Palmdale library, overflowing with an abundance of reading materials, sets the backdrop as floral topiary trees and golden rose gardens compete this setting.

Concept
The emphasis of the float is tied into the City of Palmdale's commitment to excellence. The entire world awaits in books and learning, with self-confident readers becoming more productive individuals in our society. The City of Palmdale's library celebrates its 30th anniversary this October. Palmdale has its own library system, which also includes a youth library.

Flowering Detail
The owls have been creatively crafted in individual shaped "feathers" of scalloped-cut ironed cornhusk, cobra and sea grape leaves with tufts of cordon puffs, pampas and pharmitas grass add for detail. Sugar pine cone pedals are used for the leathery like areas on the owl's legs. The velvety doctoral robe of gray poppy seed is accented in black chive seed with the mortarboard hat of glossy black onion seed.

Book covers are crafted in a variety of materials including maroon, bronze and purple chrysanthemums. Parchment scrolls are created in gold and brown flax seeds with the magnifying glass decorated in gold clover seeds. The library walls of natural oats simulate aged plaster.

Gardens of vibrant yellow Golden Gate, brilliant orange Verano and red Escada roses are featured. Topiary trees of gerbera and roses add to the over 25,000 roses used throughout the float.

Animation
The 3 oversized owls have realistic movements and the world globe spins. Music adds to this magnificent floral setting.

Innovations Used in Building this Float
The 20 foot tall over height library "folds" over to enable the float to pass under low wires and the freeway bridge along the parade route.

Float Riders
Four local Antelope Valley residents and City of Palmdale employees were chosen to ride on the City of Palmdale’s Rose Parade Float on January 1, 2008.

Nancy Quelland from the city manager’s office, Armin Gomez from the communications department, Aaron McDonald from the parks and recreation department and Mario Vallarta of the public works department will represent the City of Palmdale on its parade entry, “Celebrate the World Through Reading.”

“We’re excited to have Nancy, Armin, Aaron and Mario represent our City,” said Float Project Manager Tracy Thompson. “Their diverse personalities, job experiences, cultural backgrounds and lengths of residency truly represent Palmdale,” she added.

Participating Organization Information
The City of Palmdale's road to success is truly remarkable. Incorporated in 1962, Palmdale has grown from a small rural town to a thriving community where many are realizing the American dream. As one of the nation's fastest-growing cities, Palmdale offers endless opportunities for both residents and businesses. While just 60 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, Palmdale stands out with its own distinct character, climate and customs. From its snow-capped vistas in the winter, endless carpets of golden poppies in the spring and the unique silhouettes of famed Joshua trees sprinkling the landscape, Palmdale truly is a magical place where families and businesses can picture themselves right at home.

Special Interest Information
The City of Palmdale is again proud to have the support of over 500 individuals who participate in decorating the Rose Parade float in a show of community camaraderie. Dedicated decorators loaded buses in Palmdale and took the 3-hour round trip ride to Duarte each day to work on both the 2006 and 2007 floats. In 2007, the City of Palmdale won the Past President's Trophy for their float "Good Nature Begins at Home". The City's 2006 float won the Princess Trophy for its entry "A Magical Place to Call Home" depicting the Palmdale Fall Festival fairies.

Additional Information and Comments
The City of Palmdale is a community in which many are realizing the American dream. City leaders put public safety, health care, economic vitality, transportation, education and recreation as top priorities. Economic development programs encourage businesses to expand and locate in Palmdale. Some of America's largest aerospace companies call Palmdale home and a new generation of leading edge companies has located within the city, making Palmdale a vital part of Southern California's thriving economy. Culture, education and entertainment opportunities have enhanced the City and over 40 million dollars have been invested in recreation facilities in the past two years. Downtown revitalization, new transportation alternatives, community-based policing efforts and expanded amenities to serve its growing population are all key factors to the City of Palmdale's continued strength. We invite you to join our community and enjoy all that Palmdale has to offer.

Back to the Rose Parade^® information page