The City of Roseville unveiled the design for the float that will represent the city in the 2009 Rose Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1, kicking off a yearlong celebration of the city’s centennial.
Accompanied by representatives of the Tournament of Roses, Mayor Jim Gray unveiled the design to an audience of 400 business, government and community leaders, following his ‘State of the City’ address today in Downtown Roseville’s Magic Circle Theater.
With the 2009 Rose Parade theme of ‘That’s Entertainment’ as inspiration, the design incorporates suggestions from the community in order to showcase Roseville’s history. The float’s title is ‘Entertaining dreams for a century’ and the main feature of the 55-foot long float is a depiction of a 1909 engine built for the Sacramento-to-Roseville run. Two vintage-style Pullman passenger cars will hold float ‘passengers.’
Also on the float will be a representation of the Tree of Life petroglyph carved by the Nisenan Indians more than 10,000 years ago and located in Maidu Park; 25-foot depictions of oak trees and a creek representing the seven creeks that flow through Roseville; representations of wildlife including salmon, deer, and hawks that are indigenous to Roseville; and red roses, poppies and lupin to represent Roseville’s floral beauty.
The mayor recognized corporate sponsors who have played a significant role in making this celebration a reality and thanked them for their generosity, including Union Pacific Railroad with a $50,000 sponsorship, the United Auburn Indian Community with a $25,000 sponsorship, along with Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health each with $15,000 sponsorships.
Train passengers, who will be riding the float during the Rose Parade, will be announced at an event this fall.
The float was designed by Phoenix Decorating Company, a Pasadena-based builder with extensive industry experience.
‘This design is an ideal representation of Roseville’s centennial spirit,’ said Mayor Jim Gray. ‘The Rose Parade is an unprecedented opportunity on a national stage to show off our city and its rich historical legacy. I invite everyone to participate in our celebration. It’s truly a community celebration.’
Volunteers are needed to help decorate the float in Pasadena.
