Competing with the professional float building companies, Cal Poly students at Pomona and San Luis Obispo won the trophy for Most Outstanding Display of Fantasy & Imagination with Guardians of Harmony, their 60th consecutive entry into the Tournament of Roses Parade. It features a 27-foot long flying dragon.

Photo credit: Tom Zasadzinski, Cal Poly Pomona

Senior computer and electrical engineering major and president of the Cal Poly Rose Float Leadership Committee, Matthew Yeseta, oversees every aspect of float production.

Photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association’s entry, Valentine's Day, won the Princess' Trophy for the Most Beautiful Entry, (35 feet or Under). (Self-Built.) The swans are covered in four textures of coconut. 294 heart shapes are hidden in the trees, the butterfly wings and in the intricate frame that surrounds the float. The design incorporates more than 90 different varieties of roses. Two new roses made their parade debut on this float: the fluorescent red "Valentine" and the "Absolute”, the only rose that is truly pure white.

Photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

Bayer Advanced won its eighth consecutive trophy with Salute to the Rose Parade, the Queen's Trophy for Most Effective Use & Display of Roses in Concept, Design and Presentation. (Phoenix Decorating Co.) The 20-foot tall, animated rosebud blooms with a pyrotechnic show and burst of streamers.

Photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

Rain Bird’s Preservation Celebration won the Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes Trophy for the Most Beautiful Float. (Fiesta Parade Floats.) This marks their eleventh award in twelve years, and the seventh time the company has won the parade's top honor. The 55-foot long, 32-foot tall scene depicting the jungles of India features a trio of majestic Bengal tigers. Monkeys and albino peacocks frolic among eight cascading waterfalls fed with 1500 gallons of recycled water.

Photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

The Cairo - Los Angeles Friendship Committee’s Celebrating the Treasures of Egypt won the Past Presidents’ Trophy for Most Creative Use of Floral and Non-Floral (Fiesta Parade Floats). The skin tones of Ramses II and Queen Nofretari were created with ground walnut shell. New varieties of roses, grown exclusively to use on this float, include the vibrant red Cleopatra, the golden Sphinx, and the Cairo. Many floral materials used were imported from Egypt.

Photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

The City of Cerritos’ Festival of Lanterns won the Tournament Volunteers’ Trophy for Best Floral Design of Theme (35 feet or Under). (Fiesta Parade Floats.) Majestic, animated, Tang dynasty horses pull a huge cart laden with magnificent floral displays, and surrounded by lanterns from various festivals and countries. Thousands of the specialty orchids used were imported directly from Asia.

photo credit: Meryl Ann Butler

The City of Torrance's Festival of Flowers won the Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy for most beautiful noncommercial entry, with its salute to the Cherry Blossom Festival and Torrance’s Sister City, Kashiwa, Japan. (Fiesta Parade Floats.) The Kabuki dancer is dressed in a kimono “embroidered” in a creative combination of chrysanthemums and carnations. The silk fans, made of ironed cornhusk and creamy sesame seed, have patterns crafted in Vanda orchid petals.

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