2010 Rose Parade Float Designs to be Selected

The City of South Pasadena can consider itself “a cut above the rest” by virtue of holding the title of the oldest self-built float in the Tournament of Roses. Over 100 floats have been designed, built and paraded down Colorado Boulevard – all by community volunteerism and donations. The tradition continued this year, beginning with an open design contest. The results of the contest are in, as of the deadline on Friday, January 23rd. The process of selecting the best idea from among all the hopeful submissions will occur in a public viewing at the Chamber of Commerce “Two Cent Pizza Party” on Friday, January 30th from 6:30 to 7:30pm.

At the event, members of the public are invited to look at all the ideas submitted and place two pennies on top of their favorite drawing. As they do so, they can munch on Pizza from Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta, and meet various committee members and volunteers with the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee (SPTOR). After this popular vote, the “electoral college” approach will be used by the official float design committee. They’ll study the lot and try to identify the very best design for South Pasadena. Each drawing will be viewed in light of how it depicts the official Tournament of Roses theme “2010 – A Cut Above The Rest.”

This year entries were received from South Pasadena residents of all ages and levels of artistic ability, as well as a handful mailed in from Springville, Utah. Drawings were as loose as stick figures to professional renderings by professional animators and theme park designers.

About a dozen ideas were submitted for 2010, and dozens more are in the archives. Of these, five will be presented at the next South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee in its regular public meeting on Tuesday, February 2nd. The selection criteria includes buildability, aesthetics, theme interpretation, historical context and a special element called the “aha!” factor. Next, one of the five ideas will be given the go-ahead by officials at Tournament House in Pasadena on February 11th. A few months later, after a color rendering is created, the official South Pasadena float will be revealed to the public.

“The Two-Cent Pizza Party” will be Friday, January 30th from 6:30 to 7:30pm at SoPas Gallery, 1121 Mission Street. There is no admission charge. The regular meeting of the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses (SPTOR) is on the first Tuesday each month in the Amedee O. “Dick” Richards Jr. Council Chambers at 1414 Mission Street in South Pasadena. The meeting starts at 6:30pm. For more information on the float, SPTOR or the SouthPas Chamber, call 626-441-2339 or visit www.southpaschamber.com.