A Peek Inside the Tournament of Roses Float Building Frenzy

The folks at the San Antonio Winery distribute the line of Stella Rosa semi-sweet sparkling wines, and this year Stella Rosa is unveiling its first-ever float at Wednesday's 125th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. To celebrate the float, Stella Rosa threw a party on Saturday in Irwindale, next to the float-building warehouse. The cool part: We got a tour, and got to see the craziness up close as volunteers worked around the clock to get flowers, seeds and other plant life glued to the floats (per Tournament of Roses custom).

Besides Stella Rosa, floats under construction at the Irwindale warehouse include Dole, Kaiser Permanente, MiracleGro, SeaWorld, the City of Torrance and more. There's a sense of community at the site, as plenty of movement in and out of the building as volunteers shuffle in and out. Food vendors are even outside to feed hungry volunteers. I'm sure things will even get more crazy leading up to Tuesday night as the floats prepare for a late-night slow ride to Pasadena.


Buckets of flowers


Entrance to the float warehouse


Transformer float


Hopefully this duck is more tolerant than some of the other ones we know


The Sea World float, under construction.


The MiracleGro float volunteers work on butterflies


Camels!


Hard at work on the Kaiser Permanente float


Monkeys!


Fish!


Seahorse!


Chick!


Under construction.


Rows and rows of flowers.


Now that's an unfortunate sight.


Tucked in a corner, the float that will carry the Tournament of Roses royal court looks simple now, but on New Year's Day is will be covered with roses (naturally).


Working on a float


It's the first float for Stella Rosa, which is using the theme "Stellabrate Good Times." The Stella Rosa float will feature dancers plus KC and the Sunshine Band performing on top. Nearly 300,000 flowers will cover the float, which comes with a hydraulic top (so it can be lowered while going under overpasses).



This year's 125th parade includes 91 participants, 46 of which are floats. The parade kicks off on New Year's Day at 8 a.m.

Hollywood Christmas Parade Catches Our Pal Jessica Off-Guard

Our pal Jessica brought her kids to the El Capitan in Hollywood yesterday to see "The Muppet Movie." When she came out, she was pretty much trapped from going home by the Hollywood Christmas Parade. KCBS/KCAL's cameras were there -- and caught her surprise! See above.

City of Los Angeles to St. Patrick: Your Luck O' The Irish Has Run Out

Fishbowl L.A. found this cold, hard truth on the City of L.A. web site. No St. Patrick's Day Parade for us, given the city's economic crunch.

L.A.'s St. Patrick's Day Parade has always been a small-time affair -- I'm guessing most Angelenos had never heard of it to begin with. But it's still a shame.

Here's a YouTube video of pics from the 2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Downtown Los Angeles:



Also, check out this video, from Louis Elovitz, chronicling the 1984 parade downtown.

Another Stab At Trying to Save the Hollywood Christmas Parade

The production company that stepped in to save the Daytime Emmys is looking to do the same for the Hollywood Christmas Parade.

After last year's annual event failed to be televised -- the lowest point yet in the parade's lengthy decline -- Associated Television Intl. signed on to produce this year's event and bring it back to primetime.

ATI plans to take footage from the Hollywood Christmas Parade, which took place on Nov. 29, combine it with performances from the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at L.A.'s Grove shopping center and turn it into a two-hour special.

"The Hollywood Christmas Parade" airs Thursday on MyNetworkTV and then again on Christmas Eve.

"I've been going to the parade as long as I can remember," said ATI prexy David McKenzie. "Then one year, it just fell apart, and I was sad about that. There aren't many things in this town to take your family to if you don't have a lot of money. So we came in at the 11th hour."

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce created the parade in 1928 (originally dubbing it the "Santa Claus Lane Parade" -- immortalized by Gene Autry's "Here Comes Santa Claus"). But after years of declining interest and lack of star power, the kitschy parade turned into a money loser, and the org ended its run after 2006.

The city of Los Angeles stepped in to take over the event in 2007, renaming it the "Hollywood Santa Parade," but couldn't secure a TV partner in 2008.

The Hollywood parade had traditionally been telecast locally by KTLA (and later, KCOP) and distributed nationally via syndication. NBC had aired the event as a primetime special in 2004 as the "Blockbuster Hollywood Christmas Spectacular," but auds didn't tune in.

ATI's McKenzie said he saw opportunity in retooling the special, bringing back the "Hollywood Christmas Parade" name, for starters. It's something McKenzie and ATI did earlier this year with the Daytime Emmys, which they stepped in to produce after the kudocast couldn't find a home. (The Daytime Emmys eventually ran on the CW; ATI will continue to produce it next year, but there's no word yet on where it may air.)

"This is a long-term commitment for me," McKenzie said of the Hollywood parade. "I don't want to see it go away. I'm pleased my daughter got to see a parade."

But McKenzie also sees this year's parade as an opportunity to promote ATI's new syndicated property "World's Funniest Moments," which the company plans to distribute -- via a partnership with MGM -- to stations this fall.

"Moments," which previously ran as a series of specials on MyNet, is hosted by Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie, who also hosted this year's "Hollywood Christmas Parade."

The parade's roving reporters, Kyle Massey ("That's So Raven") and Christopher Massey ("Zoey 101"), are also involved in the weekly "Moments."

Susan Lucci served as the grand marshal for this year's parade. Performances to be included from the Grove event include Five for Fighting, Jon Secada and Cirque du Soleil.

(Originally written for Variety.)

The Hollywood Christmas Parade Once Again Gets Televised

After an absence from the airwaves last year, the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade will once again be televised -- via MyNetworkTV, which has picked up the rights to air the special as a two-hour event on Dec. 10 (and again on Dec. 24). This represents the first time the event has been turned into a lengthier two hours. Associated Television Intl. is producing the telecast, which had aired on KTLA in the past.

That's not the only thing that's been restored to this year's event: The name itself has been restored to what it had been called in the last few decades. When the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce dropped the parade in 2007 and the City of Los Angeles stepped in to save it, the parade was renamed "Hollywood Santa Parade." Now the title has reverted back to the "Hollywood Christmas Parade."

Coca-Cola is sponsoring this year's event, which takes place on Sunday, Nov. 29 starting at 6 p.m. in Hollywood.

Details can be found here. But the basics:

The Hollywood Christmas Parade/Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola will include celebrities from film, television and stage; award winning bands; colorful equestrians; ornate floats and specialty characters. The holidays will be ushered in with a special appearance by Santa Claus. The parade will travel on a U-shaped route throughout Hollywood, CA starting at Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard, traveling East onto Hollywood Boulevard turning South onto Vine Street, and then traveling West onto Sunset Boulevard back to Orange Street.
This year’s parade will feature 13 award winning bands, 10 of which hail from various areas in the state of California, and an additional three bands representing other states, including Connecticut, Indiana and Kansas. In order for each of the bands to participate in The Hollywood Christmas Parade/Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola, a good deal of fundraising needs to take place.

Floating in to See The Rose Parade's Aftermath

Above, one of my faves -- and definitely a crowd favorite -- the State of New Mexico's float, featuring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner on Route 66.

Every year the Tournament of Roses showcases its parade floats at the end of the parade route on Sierra Madre Blvd. Having watched a chunk of the parade with Evan this year, we decided to head over to Pasadena on Saturday (the last day of the showcase) to see the floats up close.

To avoid the traffic and parking woes, we took the Gold Line from South Pasadena to the end of the line, at Sierra Madre Villa station. MTA had shuttle buses waiting there to take transit riders to the float showcase site.



We knew the float viewing was popular, but not this popular. Not even the $7 fee per person prevented thousands from showing up to see the intricately-constructed floats. As you know, the parade requires that the floats be completely covered in flowers and other vegetation -- and you can't fully appreciate it until you see it in person. The Tournament's "White Suiters" were there to answer questions, and a documentary on the making of a float was shown at the Pasadena High School auditorium.

It's not something I think we'd do every year -- but since I don't think we'll ever be interested in spending the night on the street to see the actual parade, it's the closest we'll get to seeing the floats in person.

Some highlights:


Honda's famed Asimo robot


City Hall, via the City of Los Angeles float


Safari-themed float, by Rain Bird Corp.


City of Huntington Beach float


The Wizard of Oz, by Bayer


Oscar the Grouch, part of the float by NAMM (International Music Products Assoc.)


Part of the Trader Joe's float


After years of cheesy entries, Glendale finally got it right last year, with a float tribute to the old Grand Central airport. This year, Glendale stuck with the historic theme -- but with the Alex Theatre.


Most ill-timed float: "Celebrating the Dream of Home Ownership." Yeah, nothing like being reminded of our nation's housing woes during the parade!

The Return of Stephanie Edwards: A Tournament of Roses Parade Recap

Yup, she's back: Longtime TV host Stephanie Edwards, who had handled the Tournament of Roses Parade alongside Bob Eubanks for years, was shoved aside a few years ago in favor of KTLA morning host Michaela Pereira. After two years of viewer complaints, Stephanie was back on the KTLA show beside Bob this year, while Pereira was the one stuck in the stands.

The telecast began with Edwards addressing talk that the two actually hate each other: "People write in all the time and ask if we like each other," he said. "The answer is no... we love each other!"

Oh, gag. I'm not buyin' it.

As for the return of Stephanie... well, two years out of the booth, and she was a bit rusty.



Honda's "Asimo" robot kicked off the show. Sitting in our Glendale HQ, I waited and waited for the fighter jets that normally kick off the parade. I got Evan all excited -- in years past, the jets have buzzed right over our home on the way to Pasadena. But this year, nothing. The 4-year-old figured I was full of crap.



This year's theme: "Hats Off To Entertainment." There's something strangely pure and wholesome about the Tournament of Roses Parade; in this cynical age, it's almost hard to accept its sunny ethos. But what the hell, it's the start of a new year.



There's Michaela, who tried to put the best face on her demotion. "I got the best seats in the house," she kept telling us. Sorry, we didn't believe Stephanie when she tried to tell viewers the same thing two years ago.

Disney Star Demi Lovato to Headline Hollywood's Santa Parade and Winterfest

Hollywood's Santa Parade -- last year's hastily-organized event launched to fill the void when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce dropped the 75-year-old Hollywood Christmas Parade -- is coming back, and will now be a part of a day-long event dubbed "Hollywood Holiday."

Event -- sponsored by Radio Disney -- was announced Monday by Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Tom LaBonge. It'll take place on Sunday, Nov. 30. From the press release:

The 2008 Hollywood Holiday will include Winterfest, an all-day street festival that will include a free Radio Disney performance by Hollywood Records recording artist and Disney Channel actress Demi Lovato... The festivities will also include a parade featuring marching bands from across the country, equestrian units, floats, and Santa Claus.

“This year’s Hollywood holiday festivities will bring family entertainment to the boulevard in a fresh, exciting format," said Council President Garcetti.

Winterfest will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be located on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue. The family event will feature games, food, and a stage where event-goers can watch performances by Radio Disney favorites, including Demi Lovato. The City of Los Angeles, Lift Up America, and the Hollywood Youth Foundation are presenting sponsors of Winterfest, which will include a special “VIP” area for more than 1,000 children who participate in Los Angeles-area programs for underprivileged youth.

At 5 p.m., the Hollywood Santa Parade will begin at the corner of Hollywood and Highland. Grandstand seats are available for $35 and discounts are available for groups of 25 or more. The City of Los Angeles has contracted with Hollywood’s Santa Parade LLC to produce this parade.

Garcetti first hinted at the lineup last night via his Facebook status.

Details on the fall and rebirth of the Hollywood parade here.

(Updated throughout.)