What Inflation Means for the Floats Featured in the Rose Parade

There is a lot of time, energy and money that goes into creating the floats featured in the Rose Parade. This year, inflation is having an impact on this beloved tradition.

Inflation has affected the price of materials and supplies used increasing the cost by about 40%. This has forced some some designers to get creative by swapping out or reusing certain materials.

The elaborate floral creations attract thousands of people from around the world. Admiring the Rose Parade in-person, on tv or online – it’s a magical experience that takes months of planning, funding and time.

“If we need to manage our budgets a little bit tighter this year, we know everyone is feeling the pressure of that and so we are just being efficient and effective and managing what we can in advance,” said Heidi Hoff, the marketing director of Artistic Entertainment Services.

Artistic Entertainment Services is in charge of 10 corporate floats this year.

With the rising costs of materials and shortages of items from the pandemic, they’ve needed to plan ahead to ensure they get what they need.

“We try to optimize our purchasing power where we can get out ahead of it and be efficient and not waste any products and order in advance has been kind of our safety zone there,” Hoff said.

But for the self-built floats like Sierra Madre, it’s a little more challenging.

“Everything cost a whole lot more and we are the smallest builder in the parade,’ said Kay Sappington, the director of operation for the Sierra Madre Rose Float.

On average the corporate floats cost around $350,000 compared to the smaller floats that cost around $40,000 and even with a lower budget they rely solely on grants and donations.

“Can we build it, then can we decorate it, is it going to take something to make it look right that we just couldn’t afford,” Sappington said.

But, this has been an opportunity to pivot and reuse natural materials from previous floats or swap out for cheaper alternatives.

“We save a lot here, I’ve had to since I have ever been here so I am use to that when I buy a product I am usually looking for sales and we save it for the next year,” Sappington said.

In the end all the floats, corporate or self-built have the same priority, that rising costs will never take away.

They are tasked with creating a beautiful masterpiece for everyone to admire. 

“I still have to have a pretty float to put down, we pride ourselves on getting something down there that people will enjoy,’ Sappington said.