Rose Parade float building has always been costly; inflation and pandemic didn’t help

Rising inflation is having an impact on Pasadena’s Rose Parade float-builders as volunteers struggle to raise funds for the larger-than-life floats that will file down Colorado Boulevard on Monday, Jan. 2.

The spectacles on wheels warm the hearts of millions worldwide who annually tune in to catch a glimpse of the procession on television or in-person.

But supplies and funding to construct a 75-foot float for the Rose Parade have never come easy, especially in cities like Downey and Sierra Madre, where volunteers build the award-winning creations instead of professionals.

The increasing costs of steel and florals combined with unprecedented shipping delays caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are newfound roadblocks in the race to vial 10,000 roses before New Year’s Eve, said Kay Sappington, who’s led Sierra Madre’s float decorating team for nearly 20 years.

She and the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, headquartered near Sierra Vista Park, are readying for the organization’s 91st appearance in the beloved parade. Volunteers hope to continue a remarkable streak of success, having earned 15 awards in the past 16 years, with a whimsical and charming ode to a day in the park with a papa bear.

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The task to complete animatronic trees surrounded by bees, deer and a giant scooter is easier said than done, according to Sappington.

“It’s certainly a labor of love,” she said, shouting directions over holiday-themed music to an army of equally dedicated engineers, painters and retirees.

Trips to the Los Angeles Flower Market are frequent because the search to find enough combed palm bark, silver leaf and nigella seems to never cease, Sappington said as a van coincidentally pulled up with supplies.

The effort begins long before the drivers line up on Orange Grove Boulevard to depart the Tournament House. The trials and tribulations, however, are likely to persist up to parade day.

Today’s challenge relates to moss, one of the most prominent features planned for the Sierra Madre float. It’s not available from the Philippines so Sappington’s team substitutes everyday ingredients like cinnamon and hulled sesame seed.

It’s one of many adjustments organizations have made on the fly.

The Downey Rose Float Association is another one of the few remaining organizations to self-build, meaning the displays are designed, built and decorated entirely by a crew of amateurs.

The cost of designing and constructing “a high quality float,” according to Tournament of Roses officials, can begin at approximately $275,000. Costs can be higher or lower depending on sophistication of design, degree of animation and the variety of floral materials.

The financial targets were tough to hit in years prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The cancellation of long running fundraisers have only made the endeavor more difficult.

Fortunately for the Downey Rose Float Association, city councilmembers sought to ensure the city’s Rose Parade traditions continued, so city leaders appropriated $30,000 from the city’s general fund.

“It is important for our city and important for us,” Claudia Frometa said, noting the city has proudly displayed its floats for the past 50 years. “And it is time that we help fund the float that we so proudly have been supporting.”

Councilman Mario Trujillo agreed, sharing his hope that the Rose Float will be part of the fabric of the city as it heads into the future.

“We talk about feathers in our hat,” Trujillo said. “That rose float is the diamond in that hat. It’s the shining star of our city.”

He explained the city provides funding for other activities, including an international food and music festival. Trujillo also ensured the public city leaders remain cognizant of how they spends taxpayers’ dollars.

“But if we’re going to fund other things like Pride and Havana Night, we should have started with the float,” Trujillo said. “This is a float that I hope is around when my grandkids are being raised here in Downey someday.”

With funding secured, most organizations find themselves in the final days of preparations. But the work is far from complete.

Sappington and her team of volunteers are still calling last-minute audibles when they come across a dilemma in the warehouse.

They aren’t alone in the quest to find cost-effective supplies this late in the game, though.

This is likely because everything related to building floats is more expensive this year, said Tim Estes, president of Fiesta Parade Floats.

From 2020 to 2022, Estes said, there’s been an across-the-board increase of about 40% in flowers and decorating material.

And, outside of labor costs, flowers are Fiesta’s biggest expense, he said, which is not shocking since the flower market is as prone to inflation and supply chain woes as any other commodity.

“They are just more expensive,” Estes said. “Transporting the flowers, whether it’s air freight or semi-trailer, it’s no different than the price of food rising in grocery stores.”

Estes explained the quantity and consistency of flower hues can drive up the costs of ordering flowers for floats. But these are important if float builders hope to create a consistency of color and avoid an area look speckled.

Sappington said she relies on “Tennessee Jackie, Minnesota Bob and Vegas Greg,” a few volunteers who traditionally make a trip from out-of-state, to perfect the final preparations with the team who’s working in Sierra Madre year-round.

Some are welders with expertise in metal working. Others are quick to wrangle a rose into the styrofoam padding, which is another cheap workaround the team has perfected over the decades to lessen costs.

“Trust me, we’ll find something for you to do even if you think you’re not artistically talented,” Sappington said. “It’s quite an effort to put all of this together so we need all hands on deck.”

LaDonna Gaydosh, another 20-year volunteer of the organization, chuckled at the thought of the cycle restarting again, just a few days after the 2023 parade’s conclusion.

“We’re here from January to January,” Gaydosh said. “But that’s why we consider each other family. No matter what pops up in the process or parade, we’ll be here to ride it out to the end.”