In Focus

Every January 1, millions around the world celebrate the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, a century-old tradition featuring the showmanship of marching bands and trotting equestrians. But the most celebrated aspect of the annual parade remains the pageantry of elaborate and festive floral floats.

For Larry '71 and Beverly (Hostetler '71) Crain, the Rose Parade floats are not just something to enjoy one day each year. As the owners of Charisma Floats/Design and the builders of many award-winning parade floats, the Crains work year-round to prepare the perfect float for each of Charisma's clients, a process that eventually involves as many as 40 decorators and 2,500 volunteers in addition to as many as 50,000 roses per float.

"We begin the process for the Rose Parade floats two weeks after the previous parade," said Larry. "In February, we take our sketches and ideas to the organizers for approval, and from there, things really get busy."

After receiving concept approval, the Charisma team lines up clients to sponsor the floats and construction commences, which can take up to six months. Meanwhile, Beverly, a classical, opera, and private voice instructor at APU, arranges the musical scores that resound from each float throughout the parade. All this leads up to Decoration Week, six days beginning December 26, in which teams of 40-80 people per float work in eight-hour shifts to cover every visible inch of their float in roses.