B-2 Flyover (#0.3)
As the U.S. Air Force Academy Band turns the corner onto Colorado Boulevard, Air Force planes fly over the parade. Through the safety and security efforts provided by the Air Force, American families are able to enjoy the rich traditions and freedoms of Rose Parade activities. Meanwhile, the Air Force is on duty around the world providing satellite technology and air superiority to the war on terrorism.The Spirit of America flyover also reminds parade viewers of the sacrifices that our forefathers, veterans and members of our Armed Forces have made. Many have paid the ultimate price for the many freedoms and opportunities that Americans enjoy and take for granted. As we enter into a New Year, the flyover team shares a quote from President Dwight Eisenhower's farewell address to the nation: "We pray," he said, "that people of all faiths, all races, all nations...will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love."
Pace Car - 2006 Honda Ridgeline (#0.5)
Setting the pace for the 117th Rose Parade at 2.5 miles per hour is the Honda Ridgeline, Honda's first-ever pickup truck. Powered by a standard 247-horsepower VTEC V-6 engine, the well-equipped Ridgeline introduces several innovative and exclusive new features to the half-ton truck segment including a secure, lockable, In-Bed Trunk™, a dual action tailgate and the segment's first fully independent, four-wheel suspension. The Ridgeline delivers vastly superior body rigidity, a spacious interior cabin and bed, outstanding safety performance and class-leading ride and handling performance. FTD florists complemented the pace car's appearance with beautiful floral decorations.
Band: Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon & White Band (#1)
Location: Normal, Alabama
Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University is a land-grant university. The founder and first president, William Hooper Councill, was an ex-slave who started the school as the Huntsville Normal School on May 1, 1875. The band program has been in existence since 1890. Many outstanding musicians and teachers are associated with the university including: William (W.C.) Handy, known as the "Father of the Blues," Wade Hammonds, the first black appointed as Chief Musician (Band Master in the United States Army) and currently, Arthur B. Wesley, II, Director of Bands since 1979.
The Marching Maroon & White Band plays marches, chorales, ballads, contemporary R&B and Top 40 hits. The band consists of 220 members: six leaders, five drum majors, 100 brass, 50 woodwinds, 32 percussion, 20 flag bearers and nine dancers.
Bayer Advanced ™ (#2)
Float Theme: Jack and the Rose Stalk
Fe fi fo fum—a happy giant has stopped to smell the roses that comprise the Bayer Advanced float "Jack and the Rose Stalk." This magical rose vine climbs more than 50 feet into the air, providing the tallest rose in Rose Parade history. The vine can reduce from its height to 17 feet to glide beneath a freeway bridge near the end of the parade route.
The gigantic vine is made up of real and sculpted roses and features the greatest variety of roses to be presented on a parade float. Bayer Advanced is the exclusive rose care product of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. Bayer has won an award in each of its previous five years of Rose Parade participation.
Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard (#3)
The Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard is the last remaining mounted color guard in the Marine Corps today. The riders are currently serving as active duty members in the U.S. Marine Corps, stationed at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow, Calif. The horses are America's living legend: wild mustangs of palomino color acquired through the Bureau of Land Management "Adopt a Horse and Burro Program."
Since 1967, the Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard has represented the Marines in numerous events throughout the Western United States. Riders wear the Marines' military Dress Blue Uniform with ribbons and badges, white britches and black field boots. The horses are outfitted with black "Winthec" English saddles, handmade black bridles and breast collars with Marine Corps emblems and red and gold (Marine colors) blankets.
Marshal: Gunnery Sergeant Ivan Collazo Sanchez
City of Cerritos, California (#4)
Float Theme: Magical Music Machine Floating high above floral clouds to the musical beat of patriotic tunes, this whimsical contraption loaded with instruments is controlled by a marvelous and talented musician, a one-man band. Equipped with gadgets galore, this music machine pulsates with tooting brass horns, steaming organ pipes and rotating cogs of violins. Pulley wheels of clarinets and oboes spin, drums beat, sprockets of cymbals clang and bells swing and ring. The bandsman controls an extra hand that waves the American flag to the beat of the music. Keeping the Music Machine afloat are flapping wings and turning propellers.
Eucalyptus leaves flank the walls of the Magical Music Machine with accents of orange, hot pink and magenta carnations. Florets of vivid purple Madame Pompadour orchids, yellow chrysanthemums, green Yoko Ono button poms and brilliant blue sinuata statice create the kaleidoscope of colors and patterns on the musical instruments. Cerritos' float concept salutes the wide variety of musical entertainment at the Cerritos Center of the Performing Arts.
Band: The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band (#5)
Location: Los Angeles, California
Founded in 1865 in England, The Salvation Army has been marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade since 1920, making this its 86th consecutive year of participation. The band members range in age from 15 to over 70 and include three generations of some families. The bandmaster is Kevin Larsson, and the director is Jacqui Larsson.
This band is made up from various groups throughout Southern California. Two young musicians are also invited from each of the Salvation Army's 56 divisions across the USA and Canada. This year, the band is joined by members of The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Divisional Youth Band.
Roto-Rooter Plumbers (#6)
Float Theme: Photo Safari
The magical possibility of capturing African wildlife on film is the focus of "Photo Safari," the Rose Parade vision of Roto-Rooter Plumbers. This moving picture of majestic animals in their native habitat is populated by water-spraying elephants, towering giraffes, monkeys, elands and cheetahs, one enjoying a catnap in a floral tree. Joining them is a group armed with cameras to share this unexcelled experience with parade viewers.
The elephants are created with crushed walnut, light lettuce seed and onion seed with tusks of crushed sweet rice. The monkeys are covered with palm fiber, pampas grass and black buffalo grass. The giraffes and cheetahs are fashioned with orange, bronze, white and gold strawflower. The elands feature uva and pampas grass and palm fiber and the trees are abloom with dendrobium orchids, oncidium and hanging amaranth on a trunk of paper bark. Roto-Rooter won the Past Presidents Award last year and the inaugural "Bob Hope Humor Award" in the 2003 parade with its first-ever entry, "Bath Tub Races."
California State Firefighters' Association (#7)
This group of retired firefighters has restored antique, horse-drawn fire equipment to its original glory: an 1899 Allen Hose Wagon, a 1900 Pirsch Fire Wagon, a 1902 American Steam Fire Engine and a 1901 Seagrave Hook & Ladder. Twenty five firefighters dressed in period uniforms are riding the wagons and displaying early firefighting tools. Riding along with the team is Blaze, the Dalmatian fire-service mascot, who demonstrates "Stop, Drop and Roll" and other fire safety routines.
The team's horses represent most of the breeds used to pull early fire wagons. The larger horses, such as the Percherons, American Creams and Belgiums, were used to pull the heavy equipment. The smaller horses, such as the Haflingers, were used for the lighter hose and tool wagons. Representing over 30,000 fire service personnel, the California State Firefighters' Association is the oldest and largest Fire Association in California. They travel throughout California promoting fire prevention and education.
Marshal: Dave A. Hubert
SUBWAY® Restaurants (#8)
Float Theme: Fresh Magic
In a mystical, magic land burrowed deep below the forest floor, a community of cheerful gnomes is busy with the day's activities. Gnomes, always courteous and helpful, pitch in to do the day's chores, whether it's harvesting fresh vegetables, preparing nutritional meals or baking fresh breads. A father gives his daughter a horse ride on his knee as a little boy swings from a tree branch. Mother and Grandmother have returned with freshly picked vegetables from the garden. The twins play in their cradle under the watchful and adoring eye of Grandpa, as the birds are fed by Uncle Gnome.
The whimsical gnomes are dressed in safflower spice caps, bent grass seed pants, yellow chrysanthemum skirts, Kermit green button pom shirts and white coconut flake blouses. Lush garden decks of orange Mercedes roses and gerberas, over 60,000 in all, complete the woodland floral scene. Subway® celebrates its seventh year in the Rose Parade; five of six prior entries won awards.
Band: Danvers High School Falcon Marching Band (#9)
Location: Danvers, MassachusettsThe Danvers High School Falcon Marching Band made its first Rose Parade appearance four years ago. Since then, invitations to perform have come from Hawaii for the 65th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and from China to play for the opening of an international sporting event.
The Falcon Marching Band is considered to be one of the fastest growing band programs in Massachusetts. In 1996, the band won its first grand championship in Orlando, Fla., with just 52 members. In 1997, the band performed in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Clinton. Since then the band has grown to its present 182 members and has performed under the direction of Ronald A. Parsons in parades around the country.
Trader Joe's (#10)
Float Theme: Adventure!
Adventure—in this case a magical adventure ship—is offered by Trader Joe's to spice up the lives of parade viewers. This huge ship plows through a rolling sea as cannons fire and brigands scamper along the deck and through the rigging, preparing to face all that may confront them. Mythical creatures guide the vessel with a capable Captain as guide and a raucously friendly crew by his side.
The huge ship rocks forward and back, lifting high in attacking the rolling sea; cannons on both sides of the ship extend and retract as they fire and smoke in response to attackers.
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (#11)
Medieval Times is one of the largest single owners of Andalusian horses in North America. It operates the Chapel Creek Ranch in Sanger, Tex., home to more than 130 Andalusian horses and the company's Andalusian breeding program. This is Medieval Times' 19th consecutive Rose Parade appearance. Riders wear authentic medieval-period costumes and carry authentic Spanish swords. The horses wear color-coded, medieval-period costumes that signify the strong relationship between rider and horse.
The Andalusian horse, known as the "horse of kings," is one of the oldest pure breeds of horse in the world. It was the first horse brought to the Americas by the Conquistadors. The Andalusian has a proud but docile temperament, is sensitive and intelligent, responsive and cooperative, and learns quickly and easily when treated with care and respect.
Marshal: David Hilliard
China Airlines (#12)
Float Theme: Ilha Formosa, Beautiful Island – Magical Taiwan
Every year China Airlines creates a cultural float featuring the beauty of Taiwan. This float depicts lovely animated butterflies surrounded by sculpted cymbidium orchids. The front of the float features two Formosan (island) blue magpie birds decorated with blue statice, buffalo grass and orange lanterns. The float is accompanied by a sound track from Taiwan, the "Plum Blossom." Float riders include the designer, Raul Rodriguez, his parrot, Sebastian, and six China Airlines flight attendants from Taipei.
China Airlines first participated in the Rose Parade in 1987 and has won 14 prizes in this prestigious event, including last year's International Trophy for most beautiful entry outside the continental United States.
Band: Ben Davis Marching Giants (#13)
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
For more than four generations, the Ben Davis Band has been the musical ambassador for Indianapolis, traveling to two continents and every major bowl parade in existence. This is the Marching Giants' sixth performance in the Rose Parade since 1963. Associate Director Shawn McNabb, a Ben Davis graduate, marched in the 1985 Rose Parade. This is Jim Butz's third Rose Parade in his 22 years as director. Other major performances have included the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl and the 500 Festival Parades. The Ben Davis Band has played for six United States Presidents, including two inaugural parades.
Ben Davis is the first high school band in the world to use "Freehand" Music Pads, which are individual laptop computers that display music and take the place of sheet music. The band is wearing custom designed uniforms by Broadway and film designer Michael Cesario.
Kaiser Permanente (#14)
Float Theme: The Magic of Good Health In its first Rose Parade float, Kaiser Permanente depicts Mother Rabbit teaching her children the importance of healthy living by example. The family gardens, eats and plays together in this whimsical and quaint family scene of Peter Rabbit. Set within an English country garden of fanciful butterflies and oversized sculptured flowers, Mother Rabbit has just returned with a heaping basketful of freshly picked, nutritional vegetables from the garden that Peter Rabbit carefully tends. Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail are eager to help out, or just play about, amid bowls and baskets overflowing smart and delicious food choices.
The natural colors and fuzzy textures used as bunny fur are recreated from uva and pampas grass with accents of cottonseed, buffalo grass, Indian broom and red dock seed. The bunnies are dressed in an array of colors including red and hot pink carnations, blue sinuata statice, chartreuse green Kermit pom poms, purple dendrobium orchids, orange marigold petals and yellow chrysanthemums. The lavish English storybook garden showcases 50,000 roses.
New Buffalo Soldiers (#15)
The New Buffalo Soldiers is a nonprofit living history and historical reenactment group recreating the life of Company H, Tenth Regiment of the United States Cavalry from post Civil War era through WW1. Each group member owns and maintains his own mount and equipment. Each person wears uniforms that are vintage or authentic reproductions. The group shares the history of the Buffalo Soldiers through lectures, reenactment activities and demonstrations at schools, libraries, museums and entertainment venues. The group participated in the 2002 Winter Olympics Ceremony.
The original Buffalo Soldiers, freed men and former slaves, were an important part of the Westward movement. They endured hardship and discrimination as they surveyed the land for maps of the West, built key forts and roads, and guarded rail, stage and telegraph lines that laid the way for the Great Western Expansion.
Marshal: C.F. Brown
Automobile Club of Southern California (#16)
Float Theme: Vacation Paradise
A pair of giant macaws soar to more than 30 feet above the Rose Parade route as a colorful part of a "Vacation Paradise" presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. Real water gushes from the top of the float and cascades through a system of bamboo chutes to become a whitewater river, propelling delighted vacationers seaward in a native outrigger. Lighting their path and illuminating the lush tropical setting are two flaming tiki torches.
The macaws are created with green and red antherium, statice and white carnations. The bamboo chutes are created with actual split bamboo. The base of the float features thousands of orchids, including cattleya, cymbidium, dendrobium, phaleonopsis and heliconia. The Auto Club float is decorated entirely by AAA members and employees.
Band: Allen Eagle Escadrille (#17)
Location: Allen, Texas
The "Allen Eagle Escadrille" was formed in the mid 1970s when Allen, Tex., was a small, rural community. At that time, the Allen High School Band and the drill team, the Tallenettes, were separate groups that performed together during halftime shows, in parades and community events. In a departure from the typical marching band, the two groups combined to create one performing entity and adopted the name Escadrille. Thus began a new tradition.
Allen is now a fast-paced suburb of North Dallas. Since 2002, the Escadrille has grown from 275 to more than 600 members. In 2003, the Escadrille was awarded the Sudler Shield; an international award recognizing youth and high school marching bands of world-class excellence that is administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. The Escadrille has also marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland.
NAMM, the International Music Products Association (#18)
Float Theme: Making Music Is Magical
The NAMM float is one of the entertainment floats featured in this year's parade with Grammy award-winning singer Toni Braxton performing twice on the parade route. "Making Music is Magical" reflects NAMM's core mission to create more music makers throughout the world and to communicate the joys and benefits of active participation in music.
Toni Braxton is joined by four friends from Disney's Little Einsteins and their spaceship, Rocket, to make magical music. Annie (blonde hair), Leo (glasses), June (dark hair) and Quincy (baseball cap) are raised at the center of the float on a rotating platform. Their spaceship, Rocket, flies up and down at the back of the float. Rotating wheels of musical notes are placed to give the illusion of one continuous moving line of music, wrapping the kids in music. The float is adorned with colorful musical instruments and large graphic flowers. An on-board drum circle leads the float and encourages parade route audiences to join along by clapping to music that emanates from the float.
First Cavalry Division, U.S. Army Fort Hood (#19)
The First Cavalry Division, Horse Cavalry Detachment based at Fort Hood, Tex., is the last horse-mounted cavalry unit in the U.S. Army. The mission of the detachment is threefold: to represent the 1st Cavalry Division and the Army in public appearances throughout the country, to assist in recruiting by demonstrating the professionalism of today's soldier and to maintain the proud traditions forged by the cavalry in our country's colorful history.
The detachment demonstrates the precision and skills of the cavalryman of 1880, both in horsemanship and weapons usage. The mounted demonstration includes drill maneuvers at the walk, trot and gallop. The weapons portion of the show demonstrates the mounted use of the Cavalry Saber, .45 caliber Revolver and the Springfield Carbine. The Horse Cavalry Detachment was formed in 1972 and has performed at numerous fairs, parades and rodeos throughout Texas. This is their sixth Rose Parade appearance.
Marshal: Captain Randall Davis
Ivory Soap (#20)
Float Theme: Generations of Good Clean Fun Ivory's second parade entry brings three generations of Ivory girls together to celebrate the magic of bath time. Set in a lush lavender field, the youngest member of the Ivory family splashes in a giant bathtub made of crushed sweet rice. Bath time would not be complete for this bathing beauty without her favorite rubber ducky made completely of yellow strawflower. Mom and grandma are nearby sharing this magical bath time moment. A beautiful butterfly rests atop the showerhead, and opens and closes its wings. The bed of the float is abloom with lavender roses, purple irises and orchids.
Along the parade route, spectators will be the first to experience the soothing scent of Ivory's new Lavender bar and body wash as real running water from the showerhead creates lavender-scented bubbles that float from the tub into the crowd. Ivory is kicking off a national search for the Next Ivory Family, last seen in Ivory advertising 40 years ago.
Band: Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band (#21)
Location: Pasadena, California
The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Band (originally the Pasadena Junior College Bulldog Band) first marched in the Rose Parade in 1930 and has continued to perform in the parade for 77 consecutive years. The band has also performed for many Tournament of Roses Association events such as press conferences, the queen and court announcements and Bandfest since becoming the official Tournament of Roses Band in 1930. The band also performed in the 2004 and 2005 Shanghai Tourism Festival Opening Day Parades in China representing the Tournament of Roses.
Director James Arnwine leads this year's band composed of 277 members: one drum major, 108 brass, 35 percussion, 65 woodwinds, 10 dancers and 15 banner carriers. Each year the band performs musical selections that depict the parade theme, including "Everything's Coming Up Roses."
Tournament of Roses President (#22)
Tournament of Roses President, Libby Evans Wright, accompanied by her husband, Dr. William Wright, will greet nearly one million spectators along the five-and-a-half mile Rose Parade route. They make their magical ride in a reproduction of an elegant, late 1800s Victorian carriage provided by Frank and Adriana Leyendekker. The carriage is one of Glacier National Park's legendary red touring coaches. Dating back to the 1930s, these distinctive vehicles provide visitors to Glacier National Park a unique way to experience the Park's soaring peaks and magnificent vistas.
The family includes the Wrights' children and grandchildren: David and Terry Evans with Kinsley and Hannah; Kathryn Damron with Paul and Valerie; Jim Schwendeman with Brandon and Brady; and Lisa and Dallas Grabow with Chad William.
Farmers Insurance Group (#23)
Float Theme: Protecting Your Family
The magic of a mother's love is demonstrated by a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex in Farmers' 47th entry in the Rose Parade. The prehistoric mama dinosaur, clad in a frilly apron and wielding a cooking spoon, makes it clear that protecting family was a primary instinct—even eons ago—as she shields her baby T-Rex from a pair of Deinonychus.
A wide selection of produce is used to achieve a prehistoric look for the Tyrannosaurus and Deinonychus, accented by a garden of roses, orchids, irises and daisies. The head and tail of the giant T-Rex are animated, swinging to and fro.
Band: Prospect High School Marching Knights (#24)
Location: Mt. Prospect, Illinois
The Prospect High School Marching Knights' first Rose Parade appearance was 20 years ago. Under the direction of David Morrison, the Marching Blue Knights have gained national recognition for their outstanding performances at state and national competitions, winning several championships at the Chicagoland Marching Festival.
The Marching Knights have traveled extensively. An unusual note about the band is that they have practiced their parade routine on the flight deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. Some of their appearances include: the King Kameamea Parade in Hawaii, Lordmayor of Westminster's Parade in London, Fiesta Bowl Parade in Phoenix and the Citrus Bowl and Magic Kingdom Parades in Orlando. They had the great honor to perform at ground zero during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2002; they played "Battle Hymn of the Republic" while folding an American flag and presented it for permanent residence at the site.
The Home Depot (#25)
Float Theme: Going for the Gold
The Home Depot is a proud sponsor of the United States, Canadian and Puerto Rican Olympic and Paralympic Teams and also the world's leading employer of Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls. Each day, world-class athletes tie on orange aprons and go to work in Home Depot stores across North America, mixing paint, tending to plants and cutting 2x4s in exchange for support and steady wages.
The magic of Olympic competition burns brightly on The Home Depot float "Going for the Gold." The Olympic flame and Olympic rings are visual symbols of all the magical qualities embodied by the athletes. The Olympic flame is created with full roses and carnations, while its urn is decorated with sesame seed, crushed walnut and corn husks. The Olympic rings feature statice, ti leaves, carnation petals and seaweed with crushed rice highlights. The national flags include crushed rice, carnation petals, statice, ti leaves and a variety of herbs and spices.
