that is so cool FG we will expect some beautiful pictures

You're welcome Anne. I am glad you finally got the link to work and were able to see them! I hope I get to go too!

What happens to all the flowers once the parade is over? I know there's no salvaging them since they've been cut and out of water for a while...just wondering if they do anything special with them?

I don't know...I will find out!

Do you get paid for this or is it just for the honor?

Just the Honor!!!

It's an all volunteer force that builds the floats!

We are currently looking for local sponsorship to cover the transportation costs and think we may have that covered. The onsite costs are covered.

My partner has a lot of talent for design. In the past, she has won awards for ice sculpting. There is a local annual winter carnival in which she has competed in the past and has won several top awards. This has gained her team invitations to national competitions and even an invitation to an international competition in Japan one year. Due to an unfortunate injury, she was not able to attend but her team did take a top award for her design.

Here's a link to the site which will explain how a float is built, it will also give Taffy that answer about how many roses???

http://www.phxdeco.com/build.php

400,000+

"Volunteers - 16,000 individuals, from teens to seniors."

I do know that the day after the parade, the floats are available for viewing and one of the mornings, the floats are reserved for viewing by seniors and the disabled. That was in some of the information that she received.

As for what happens to all the flowers after they wilt? Dunno...but I will find out! I know that a lot of them are in water tubes and they are not cheap. I would think, cost wise, that they would be disassembled, cleaned and recycled. The flowers would be composted.

There are several, 5 or 6, professional float building companies, and several private companies who hire out to build floats for the parade. It's quite a process!

I am learning something new every day!

I will keep you all informed as I learn things!!

I wonder if volunteers from local hospitals and nursing homes could come out after the parade and the viewings are over and take some of the flowers to the patients/residents?

Those flowers are so gorgeous and it seems a shame for them to be ground up while they're still so beautiful.

I'm sure someone's already thought of this and there's a good reason why it's not practical but that was the first idea I had.

Like I said, Kell, I have no idea what happens to the flowers...

Take a look at the site so you can see how the floats are made. That might give you a better idea how the flowers are used and what may or may not be feasible for using the flowers after the parade.

It's a great idea!

I did...I already went to the site and it's amazing how they make those floats. You never realize how much time and effort goes into those things when you're watching the parade. I'll watch it now with a new respect for all the countless hours that go into the construction of one of the floats.

This is what happens immediately after the Rose Parade and I think you can see the floats for several days

After every Rose Parade, the floral masterpieces are parked along Sierra Madre and Washington Boulevards in Pasadena and exhibited for visitors to walk by and see in close detail the design and workmanship that goes into these floats. Visitors are able to walk within a few feet of the floats and appreciate for themselves the creativity and the imagination of the floral displays. The Rose Parade floats have been a Pasadena tradition for over 100 years. Of course, White Suiters will be on hand to answer your many questions. Please come and enjoy the beauty and imagination of these floral creations.

I can ask some peeps I know involved in the parade what happens to all the flowers after but I imagaine there is some sort of green recycling effort.