'Sunrise at the Oasis' wins Sweepstakes prize at Rose Parade

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Jarod Gutierrez, 12, of Corona, prepares some sparkling cider while his mother, Susan, roasts marshmallows on Colorado Boulevard while camping out overnight. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Giant floral baby heads mask the humans who animate them on the Kaiser Permanente float, “First Step to Total Health,” being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteers work on the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” being readied at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Grooms Aubrey Loots, left, and Danny Leclair prepare for photos alongside the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. The couple will be married on the float during the Rose Parade. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Mendoza, 22, practices alongside the city of Torrance float, “Everyone Plays,” being prepared at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Nick Hellewell, a Cal Poly alumnus, works on the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” being readied at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Giant floral babies wave (Psst! There are real humans inside to animate them) from the Kaiser Permanente entry, “First Step to Total Health,” being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Katie Dominguez fixes a damaged portion of a Rose Parade float being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A decked-out fan watches as last-minute preparations are made to the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Olivia Moore affixes irises to the Cal Poly Universities float, titled “Bedtime Buccaneers.” (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteers work on flowers for the Donate Life “Light Up the World” float at Rosemont Pavilion. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Bianca Cermeno, 14, prepares flowers for the city of Torrance’s float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Jacque Giuffre works on K9s 4 Cops float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Mildred Hood, left, and Tara Pleickhardt work on the SeaWorld float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Dana Hill, 19, of Long Beach works on the eHarmony float “Everlasting Love” in Pasadena. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Arlene Rodriguez, 46, of Los Angeles works on the Donate Life’s Rose Parade entry “Light Up the World.” (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

By Catherine Saillant

Jan. 1, 2014 8:50 AM PT

“Sunrise at the Oasis,” an idyllic desert vision of beasts roaming among cascading waterfalls, palm trees and tropical flowers, won the Sweepstakes award at the 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade.

Large colorful animals, including elephants, a camel, peacocks and a tiger, were created by a team from Dole Foods using a variety of flowers and ornamentals, including crushed beans, moss, spices and even dried cranberries.

Late last night, thousands of fresh roses and other flowers were added as a final touch. The float’s beauty and design was cited in awarding the coveted Sweepstakes trophy out of more than 80 entries at the 125th Rose Parade with a theme of “Dreams Come True.”

PHOTOS: 125th Tournament of Roses Parade

Other float winners include a Governor’s award to the city of Glendale for “Let’s Be Neighbors” for its depiction of life in California, and a Director’s trophy for the Indonesian government’s “Wonderful Indonesia” for outstanding artistic merit in design and floral presentation.

The parade got underway a few minutes after 8 a.m. under clear skies and temperatures in the 50s. Highs are expected to reach into the mid-70s by the afternoon, making way for another picture-perfect 5-1/2 mile route filled with floral floats, spirited marching bands and high-stepping equestrian teams.

This year’s grand marshal is Vin Scully, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime radio sportscaster and a Southern California icon in his own right.

“And now, instead of throwing out the first pitch, let’s start the parade,” Scully announced as the parade moved into action.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to line the streets of Pasadena to view the annual event, some of them camping out overnight to earn front-row seats along streets.

Kevin Lee Light, 53, of Hollywood, was among the early morning crowds taking the Gold Line train from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to the parade in Pasadena. The tall, bearded man wearing a white tunic, who goes by the nickname “Jesus,” said he attended his first parade as an infant and tries to go every year.

Light said he was looking forward to the same-sex wedding that is to take place on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s float. “That sounds like the highlight,” he said.

To those boycotting the parade because of the same-sex wedding ceremony, “I would say peace and love,” he said.

Jennifer Adair, 41, of Ridgecrest, said she has lived in California her whole life but this is her first Rose Parade. She and girlfriend Bonnie Cortez sat in chairs with an overhead shade, a blanket draped around their laps.

“I’ve been waiting for the right person to come with,” she said.

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catherine.saillant@latimes.com