I have had the privilege to spend the last 4 days touring Pasadena, Irwindale and Burbank, documenting the progression to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade!
Please take a journey with me through an amazing tour of Fiesta Floats, Phoenix Floats, and exclusive VIP breakfast at the Pasadena Tournament House/Wrigley Mansion, Judging at Fiesta Floats, and Finally Top-Notch seating at the Tournament of Roses Parade!!
Enjoy! There are over 1050 pictures documenting the 4 day trip!
All the albums are set up to simply cruise through by clicking the main BIG picture in the middle, or choosing the slideshow feature!!
All photos taken with Nikon D300 and 17-55 Lens.
DAY 1
Today we toured Fiesta Floats, which has a 15 year consecutive title as the reigning champion builders of the Tournament of Roses Parade. This year they are building 12 of the 43-46 floats. The sponsored floats run anywhere from $200,000-$300,000!!! The most expensive to date has been $500,000!! Corporate sponsors of course...
The floats shown are the ones you will see on TV New Years Day morning. Most of the floats are now getting their final flowers put on, so they are very bare and naked. When we come Wednesday to judge, you will see all the bright flowers and flourishing florals. Right now you mostly have the seeds which are the base for much of the float.
The big bulldog will have 2 bulldogs on skateboards going around the track. Look for these all up and running Thursday!!!
Wait till you see the progression of the floats later this week!!
ALBUM DAY 1
http://capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Fiesta_Floats_Day1/
DAY 2:
Today we toured Phoenix Floats, another float builder and had a great VIP tour.
The floats shown are the ones you will see on TV New Years Day morning. Most of the floats as at Fiesta Floats are bare, right now you mostly have the seeds which are the base for much of the float.
Tomorrow see the judging of the floats back at Fiesta Floats, and you will see the final floats as they will look traveling down the Boulevard.
We then got to have a VERY VIP breakfast at the Tournament of Roses Headquarters at the Wrigley Mansion.
This mansion was built in 1906 by the Stimson Family and later sold to chewing gum mogul family the Wrigley's. In 1960 Mrs. Wrigley died and left the home to the Tournament of Roses for use only for the Tournament of Roses.
The cars you see in the beginning of the album will parade the Grand Marshall Cloris Leachman (Dancing with the Stars and Golden Girls) as well as other VIP people and the ToR president. The Green car you see is the ONLY one in existence today, a Pierce Arrow.
After breakfast I toured the home for pictures, and we were lucky enough to meet and greet with Cloris Leachman, and pose for photos.
We then went to Bandfest which is a special showcase of all the bands that were invited to perform at the Rose Bowl and the Parade. The Marine Marching Band was also present.
Take a look! The behind the scenes VIP treatment is awesome!
Tournament House/Wrigley Mansion:
http://capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Tournament_House_Day2/
Phoenix Floats:
http://capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Phoenix_Floats_Day2/
Bandfest:
http://capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Bandfest_Day2/
DAY 3:
Today we went back to Fiesta floats and saw Tim's team during judging time. For judging, the floats must be operational as though they were in the parade, with the music and float riders acting as though they are in the parade. The judges take the time to look over all the details.
You will see all the floats completed and even Tyson the Bulldog Skateboarding!!
Dick Van Patton is seated at the front of the bulldog float as he is the co-owner of The dog food company sponsoring the float, and used to be the dad on the show "Eight is Enough".
Also Jack Hanna was on hand as he is riding the jungle float. (
http://www.jackhanna.com/
) That's him in the directors chair with the animals and posed with My wife Monica, and fellow friends of CalFest.
Fiesta Floats- Judging Day!!
http://capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Judging_Day3/
DAY 4:
Today was the big day, the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade.
WOW!! Is all I can say.
We had special parking and the perfect reserved seats. The CalFest members have been coming for many years celebrating the new year in style!! Their seats were fantastic. We were right in TV corner, flanked by NBC, Press, ABC and HGTV. CBS was behind us. Contrary to popular belief lower seats are not the best, the higher seats with the better vantage point allows you to enjoy the parade in a full view. Lower seats would have been harder to see and to get the full size picture shots of the bigger floats.
Thank you very much to Ruth and Ray for the perfect seating arrangements!! We had back row seats with the TV Corner Parade Coordinators and the Air Force personnel who were in direct contact with Palmdale and the 2 B-2 Stealth bombers waiting to take off. Due to a frosty morning the fly over was delayed from 8:04 to 9:04 and only one was able to fly as the ice cannot be de-iced other than melting naturally, due to the material of the Stealth's shell. Therefore, o nly one had enough melted ice to fly. There are many photos of the B-2 Stealth's flyover!
There are about 335 pictures, take a look and enjoy it just like you were there!!
Here are the pictures of the Parade today, and all the other days leading up to the parade. you can now see the beginning of the float building, all the way to their grand trek down Orange and Colorado Blvd's!!
The 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade:
http://www.capturethememoryphoto.com/CalFest_Rose_Parade/Rose_Parade_Day4/
Thank you all for looking!
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http://www.capturethememoryphoto.com
