Cal Poly’s underwater-themed rose float will be second out of 44 floats to roll down Colorado Boulevard at the 2020 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
“We’ve never been so close to the beginning of the route,” President of the San Luis Obispo team and industrial engineering senior Sydney Strong said in a news release. “There are a few nerves with being so close to the front of the parade, but I think that this doesn’t necessarily place more pressure on us — just gets us a bit more excited!”
The theme the San Luis Obispo and Pomona campuses collectively chose for this year is “Aquatic Aspirations.” Team members said the float will feature animated turtles, jellyfish, swimming fish, a rocking ray and swaying kelp. “Aquatic Aspirations” will come to life with a 9-foot tall moving submarine and a 13-foot octopus with waving tentacles.
Along with hundreds of volunteers, the student-run team has spent the last week covering the float in flowers and other natural materials. This is the final step in a year-long operation that brings the float to life.
Last year, the Cal Poly team took home the Extraordinaire Award for its “Far Out Frequencies” float.
Along with floats, the parade will feature 23 marching bands and 16 equestrian units, according to the news release. The parade begins at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1.