January 9, 2024
FloraCraft FōM Products Featured in Rose Parade Float
It was a Michigan win at this year’s Rose Bowl game! But that wasn’t the only way the Wolverine State represented. As a part of its float for the storied Rose Parade, the always anticipated California Polytechnic Universities’ Rose Float featured FloraCraft FōM products in its design.
The float, Shock n’ Roll: Powering the Musical Current, embraces the idea that community and harmony can exist in any environment. The float tells the story of a community of electric eels and rays living in a sea of electric instruments. A variety of ocean life and floral arrangements encircle the fantastical and vibrant sunset-colored reef.
We sent a selection FōM, including our FloraCraft® SmoothFōM Hollow Half Ball and FloraCraft® Artesia WetFōM® blocks, to assist the students in their efforts to bring the float to life.
“We are thrilled Cal Poly asked us to be a part of its ambitious design,” FloraCraft CEO Steve Carlson said. “Seeing it transform from a rendering to traveling down the streets of Pasadena was very exciting. The engineering and creative innovation these students possess is very inspirational and we commend them on a job well done.”
A tradition of excellence
A joint effort between California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and California Polytechnic State University in Pomona, the float is the only student-designed and built entry in the parade. Shock n’ Roll was awarded the Crown City Innovator award for the most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology.
View footage of the float rolling through Pasadena
This was the 75th entry of Cal Poly Universities’ floats, which have received more than 60 awards since they began stunning audiences in 1949. The floats rely on volunteers and community support to compete against professionally designed floats with budgets of upwards of $1 million.
The Tournament of Roses, which features the parade and football bowl game, has been in existence since 1890 and is considered America’s New Year Celebration. The parade features energetic marching bands, beautiful equestrian units and 100% floral and organic covered floats.
“We continue to be moved by how creators everywhere use our products to bring their vision to life,” Carlson said. “Congratulations to the Cal Poly Float on its award-winning design!”
Easy-to-use FōM products for parade floats
The FōM products the students used in their design are easily modified to fit the desired project.
The lightweight, non-porous texture of our SmoothFōM® can be painted or coated with a broad range of products to create virtually any color or texture – without the weight of other traditional building products like wood or plaster – making it the ideal product for large structures like floats.
Our Artesia WetFōM® is easy to work with, soaking up water quickly, holding stems securely in place and available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit any floral design project. Easy to cut, WetFōM makes carving any custom shape to create a custom floral installation a breeze. The easy-to-use foam absorbs water to give fresh flowers a constant water source.
If you’re not using fresh floral, craft our FōM® (XPS) into any object you can imagine. In fact, multiple shapes can come together to create a truly spectacular centerpiece for your float – that is also lightweight and transportable. With dozens of options to choose from in both white CraftFōM and green FloraFōM, no matter what your vision is, our foam can help it become a reality.
Like the imagination of the Cal Poly students, the options for creative parade float-making are endless.