Parade Day is coming soon. We thank the residents, volunteers, the city, businesses and other supporters who have partnered with us to create a spectacular float representing the best of South Pasadena.
Here are some facts about the city’s float, “Boogie Fever,” that will ride in the Jan. 1 Rose Parade:
Volunteers are needed to help decorate the float until Dec. 30. Crews work from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. The float site needs to be cleared the morning of Dec. 31. No appointments are needed; just come by the War Memorial Building site ready to work.
A Crunch Time Online Auction is open for bidding. All proceeds go to cover float expenses. Among the more than 70 items are tickets to Dodgers’ and Lakers’ games, restaurant gift certificates and personal services. Bid at auctria.events/SPTORCRUNCH. Bidding closes at noon Jan. 1.
The annual Crunch Time Party is being held Dec. 29 at the War Memorial Building. This is a major fundraiser for the float.
The Rose Parade will be livestreamed this year. Segments on behind-the-scenes construction of 10 floats will be shown during the broadcast. South Pasadena’s is the only self-built float included. Streaming will be available on YouTube (the Tournament of Roses channel), Prime Video and other platforms.
Two memorial photographs hang in the large tent that houses the float.
One is of former Mayor Ted Shaw, an integral part of the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses who died in 2020. The other is of Paul Abbey, a key member of the SPTOR float construction team who died in 2019.
Many local business owners support SPTOR. They purchased Tee signs for our golf tournament and banners that hang in the tent. We thank Hi-Life Burgers, Mijares Mexican Restaurant and Twohey’s Restaurant for providing lunch to float crews.
Athens Services recently hosted a Chamber of Commerce morning “coffee chat” at the float site and is lead sponsor for the Crunch Time Party fundraiser on Dec. 29 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
SPTOR is already calling for proposed designs for next year’s float. The 2025 Rose Parade theme is “Celebrate Life’s Special Moments.” Visit sptor.org/volunteer for information and an entry form. The deadline is 5 p.m. on Jan. 26.
Ed Donnelly
President, South Pasadena
Tournament of Roses Committee
First published in the December 29 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
