1,000 varieties of colorful roses, paired with organic floral recreations of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s natural treasures and attractions, bring the destination to life
Submitted by Diana Hanford
GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL –Visit Lauderdale offers a sneak peek of its custom-built float as it prepares to participate for the first time in the Rose Parade® presented by Honda. The float will make its grand debut on Monday, January 1, 2024, at 8 a.m. PST/11 a.m. EST during the live telecast of the 135th Rose Parade® in Pasadena, California, airing on NBC and ABC.
Designed to amplify Visit Lauderdale’s “Everyone Under the Sun” brand campaign which warmly welcomes people of diverse cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations and disabilities, the 24 feet long by 18 feet wide and 55 feet high float will recreate the tropical paradise through an ingenious use of organic materials. Designers will utilize up to 45,000 flowers, including 1,000 varieties of fragrant and colorful roses, paired with flax seeds, brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, blue statice, heliconia, cymbidium orchids and more, to cleverly showcase why Greater Fort Lauderdale is an ideal destination for visitors seeking a genuinely welcoming and inclusive environment.
The float will also feature landmarks such as the iconic wave wall along Fort Lauderdale beach and an architectural replica of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, or as locals call it, The Guitar Hotel, which perfectly aligns with this year’s parade theme, “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.”
“This float will bring our exceptional destination to life and in full bloom,” said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “It’s an organic blend of sights and sounds representative of the diverse people and iconic attractions, showcasing to the world.”
Built in Pasadena, it is estimated to take between 25,000 – 35,000 cumulative hours for designers at Artistic Entertainment Services, a scenic fabrication company that creates world-class environments and experiences, to meticulously handcraft Visit Lauderdale’s “Everyone Under the Sun” float.
Viewers will also delight in spotting life-sized alligators with waving tails, friendly manatees and sea turtles emerging from the sands, offering a glimpse of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s magical ecosystem spanning from the Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean.
Since its founding in 1890, the Rose Parade® and Rose Bowl Game® in Pasadena have drawn audiences from around the world. On New Year’s Day, the procession of floats will feature extraordinary floral arrangements, marching bands, and equestrian units along a 5 ½ mile route down Colorado Boulevard. The parade is expected to attract 700,000 street-side spectators and nearly 22 million U.S. television viewers.
