This year's theme was "Hats off to Entertainment" and the opening float from Honda, featuring a 50-foot version of its ASIMO robot, displayed the theme literally.
Earlier this week, I showed you photos of the Honda float, and others, under construction. Here's how the Trader Joe's float turned out:
Rain Bird won this year's Sweepstakes trophy for "most beautiful entry."
Here is the Pasadena City College's Honor Band, performing a parade classic, "76 Trombones" from "The Music Man."
Here's a close-up look at the Farmers Insurance float we saw earlier. It won the Craftsman award for exceptional showmanship.
The City of Cerritos won the Grand Marshal's trophy for this float, co-sponsored by Medieval Times.
The City of Sierra Madre won for most beautiful non-commercial float for this tribute to Bollywood.
Wile E. Coyote remains in hot pursuit of the Road Runner on New Mexico's Rose Parade float.
Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle makes a cameo appearance, in floral form, on the City of Anaheim's float.
Believe it or not, the National of Associates of Realtors entered a float this year. Why are those folks in boats? Because their house is underwater!
The Kiwanis entry won for most beautiful small float.
Some of the floats include impressive animation elements. Here is an example from the Kaiser Permanente float, which won for "exception merit in multiple categories."
Here is that amusement park-themed float from Cal Poly:
I'm posting this one for the folks at Busch Entertainment Corp. It's the City of St. Louis float, pulled by a team of Clydesdales and featuring a certain beer company's famous wagon. With no sign of "InBev" anywhere. Enjoy, folks.
The most over-the-top, outrageously fun float had to have been Jack in the Box's tribute to Disco, complete with live band and dancers. And, of course, Jack, there in the middle.
Bayer Advanced won the Fantasy award for its floral tribute to the Wizard of Oz, another float we saw under construction earlier this week.
So... which was your favorite float in this year's Rose Parade? Tell us about it in the comments. And, again, happy new year from ThemeParkInsider.com!
Updated: My wife Laurie has posted some photos from our traditional spot at the end of the Rose Parade route.
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Today, Jan. 2, in Pasadena, it's foggy and in the low 50s. ;-)
Not too many responses, but every year I watch this Parade.. This year I had my wife and daughter watched it with me and they both enjoyed it…
Pasadena looks nice, might be a nice place to retire to…Someday…
Also, I appreciated your featuring a band. It's so nice to actually hear the music instead of the yappy broadcasters talking over all of them!
Again, thanks and Happy 2009!
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I love this Parade…. Fantastic!!