As it prepares to participate for the first time in the Rose Parade, Visit Lauderdale has released a sneak peek of its custom-built float. The grand debut of the float is scheduled for 11 a.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, during the live telecast of the 135th Rose Parade® in Pasadena, CA, which will be broadcasted on NBC and ABC.
The 24 feet long by 18 feet wide and 55 feet high float has been designed to enhance Visit Lauderdale’s “Everyone Under the Sun” brand campaign, which warmly welcomes people of diverse cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disabilities. The float will recreate a tropical paradise through an ingenious use of organic materials. Designers will cleverly utilize up to 45,000 flowers, including 1,000 varieties of fragrant and colorful roses, along with flax seeds, Brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, blue statice, heliconia, cymbidium orchids, and more. This unique display will showcase why Greater Fort Lauderdale is an ideal destination for visitors seeking a genuinely welcoming and inclusive environment.
As part of this year’s parade theme, “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language,” the float will showcase local landmarks like the Fort Lauderdale beach wave wall and a replica of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, affectionately known as The Guitar Hotel.
“This float will bring our exceptional destination to life and in full bloom,” Stacy Ritter says, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “It’s an organic blend of sights and sounds representative of the diverse people and iconic attractions, showcasing to the world.”
The Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game® in Pasadena have been a global attraction since its establishment in 1890. Every New Year’s Day, the procession of floats showcases exceptional floral displays, marching bands, and equestrian units along a five-and-a-half-mile path down Colorado Boulevard. The parade is anticipated to lure 700,000 onlookers along the streets and almost 22 million viewers across the United States.
