Floatfest Dazzles Tens of Thousands More Fans One Day After the Rose Parade

One day after the 2024 Rose Parade dazzled thousands along Colorado Boulevard, it dazzled about 50,000 more from around the world at Floatfest, where most of the 40 parade floats ended up parked and on display along two blocks of Sierra Madre Boulevard in East Pasadena. 

Parade watchers who may have only seen the floats on TV or from a distance were able to stand up right next to the works of floral art and “smell the roses” for themselves. 

Close up, the floats were even more breathtaking, spectators said. 

Many of the floats demonstrated their music and animation effects, highlighting this year’s theme, “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.”

“I come here every year,” said float fan Marina Nigito, originally from Russia. “Sometimes I come here alone, and that’s great, but sometimes I bring friends, like this year.”

Asked about her favorite float, Nigito said, “The Kindness float, (sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Gabriel Valley), because this is what matters in life, love and kindness. I love that presentation and that idea, and the beauty of that float.”

“Eva” and “Max,” two Floatfest volunteers, stood by patiently and answered questions from guests, most of whom asked for a rose from the floats, to no avail.

Some also asked to sit in the drivers’ seats of the floats, but as Max gently explained, even he was not allowed to sit there. 

“I’ve always heard about this,” said Jimmy Wong, of  Arcadia, who brought his children and grandparents. “It’s fascinating, and a lot more impressive when you see it close up.”