“Together we celebrate where we have been and what we hope for. “It’s about family, friends and community and what we have to celebrate and be grateful for,” Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales said in a statement.
Sitting near the entrance to the warehouse, Diane Davis took black beans one by one from a white cup and stuck them with a thin paintbrush to a panel that had an image of Jesus and two children.
Her brown hair was made of cinnamon, her white robe was crushed rice, and the blue background was a finely cut static flower that had been trimmed with small scissors.
The scene was being built on a panel, one of many that formed the Lutheran Hour Ministries float in 2023. It has since been repurposed as a display model to teach visitors about the work that goes into creating floats.
An identical float will appear on this year’s Lutheran Hour float, which will showcase two herald angels and a church complete with stained glass.
Davis’ mother, Fran, worked on the original panel two years ago and noticed that the black beans she so carefully installed were beginning to fall apart. This week, on his 89th birthday, he began the hard work of using a razor blade to remove the damaged pimples and replace them with new ones.
Even a display panel should look its best, mother and daughter said.
“These beans have a little bit of white on them and that’s not supposed to show,” Davis said.
“My mom has a bit of a fuse,” he added, laughing. “Today he did it for three hours and then he said, ‘I’m done.’ So I have to make sure I do it right.”
This year’s participants finalized designs in the spring and spent the rest of the year bringing their vision to life. For the Canadian nonprofit Coding for Veterans, which trains service members to work in technology and cybersecurity, the Rose Parade is an opportunity to honor the military and send the message that veterans are ready to a new life.
