Photos: First look at Rose Parade floats as they come to life
Ivan Villegas, left, of Duarte and Vicente Avila of Pasadena work inside Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale on the head of a Chinese dragon, which is the centerpiece of Donate Life’s float, “Lifting Each Other Up.”
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet could keep volunteers from arriving for their holiday float decorating duties in preparation for the 134th Rose Parade.
The parade theme is “Turning the Corner,” a celebration of the potential each new year brings. And after nearly three years of gloom, people are ready to embrace that expression.
“Whether that corner is actual or figurative — we all enjoy the opportunity of a fresh start,” Amy Wainscott, president of the 2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn., said in a statement. “Turning a corner means rising above — alone, or with family, friends and community.”
The Pasadena Rose Parade — which was canceled in 2021 and had a mask mandate in 2022 — returns without pandemic restrictions for the first time in three years, despite concerns of a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and the flu.
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The Celebration Gator, part of the Louisiana Office of Tourism’s “Feed Your Soul” float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Final preparations for floats are underway at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Workers are busy on the Kaiser Permanente’s “All of US for All of You” float in Irwindale.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Dragon detail from Donate Life’s “Lifting Each Other Up” float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Valerie Vicroy works on the city of Torrance’s “For the Love of Nature” float in Irwindale.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Bejarano, left, of Tucson and Miki Clark of Diamond Bar work on the Louisiana Office of Tourism’s “Feed Your Soul” float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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Hummingbirds on the “Building for the Future” float from Building Industry Assn. of Southern California.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Nick Exeter works on the Louisiana float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Linda Menard of Tucson uses tweezers while decorating the Louisiana float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Andres Trujillo works on Donate Life’s “Lifting Each Other Up” float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
David Becherer of Madison, Ill., dressed as Santa, works on Donate Life’s “Lifting Each Other Up” float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Briana Navarro works on the Snapchat “Wait’ll You See This” float in the Rosemont Pavilion on Saturday.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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A worker with petals to be added to a float.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Laura Avila works on Cal Poly Universities’ “Road to Reclamation” float in the Rosemont Pavilion on Saturday.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
A worker adds touches to the Snapchat “Wait’ll You See This” float in the Rosemont Pavilion.
Francine Orr was a staff photojournalist for the Los Angeles Times from 2000-24. She is currently a Knight fellow at the Graduate School of Visual Communication at Ohio University. Previously, she was a staff photographer at the Kansas City Star. Orr served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. While there, she learned how to be a quiet observer and gained a love for stories. She was raised in Colorado and earned bachelor’s degrees in both history and art from the University of Saint Mary. In 2022, Orr received the coveted Dart Award for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma and the National Headliner Award. She also won the 2020 Meyer “Mike” Berger and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in feature photography in 2012.
