La Cañada Flintridge made its presence known at the 130th Rose Parade on Tuesday, winning the Founder Award for its colorful float and boasting the participation of two local Rose Princesses in the much-watched procession.
La Cañada High School senior Rucha Kadam and Flintridge Prep senior Helen Rossi, both LCF residents, took a 5.5-mile journey on a float bearing the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.
“Riding down Colorado Boulevard was an incredibly special moment for all of us,” Kadam said in an email. “It was amazing seeing everyone we have worked with over the past three months waving to us from the grandstands.”
Added Rossi: “While we have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people over the past three months throughout the community, making the turn from Orange Grove Boulevard onto Colorado Boulevard was the iconic, breathtaking moment everyone said it would be. I loved seeing all of our friends and family in the grandstands as we made our way down the parade route.”
Not to be outdone, the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association’s float “Tree Frog Night” earned honors. Celebrating the parade’s theme, “Melodies of Life,” the float depicted three frogs playing instruments amid a Louisiana bayou featuring lots of flowers.
The LCF float now has won awards for the last eight consecutive years.
The Founder Award, according to a statement from the Tournament of Roses, is given to the most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community organization.
Last year, LCF’s association took home the Bob Hope Humor Award for being the most comical and amusing.
Judges reviewed each float during sessions that took place during the decoration stages before the parade, according to a tournament statement. Judges then used their scores from those sessions to determine trophy winners.
LCF Tournament of Roses Association President and City Councilman Michael Davitt said on Wednesday his hope was that the float would be recognized with some kind of an award.
“To actually receive an award and be recognized by the tournament is a testament to all the people and all the volunteers,” Davitt said. “It certainly adds a nice exclamation mark to the day.”
Davitt was equally impressed with the selection of Kadam and Rossi to the Rose Court.
“That’s obviously a great thing when there’s good representation and presence from La Cañada,” Davitt said. “We’re a small community but right next door to Pasadena. We fully like to connect with the new year’s tradition.”
