The Cal Poly Rose Float is headed to its next stop in Pomona.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Pomona students have each been working on a half of the float, which will be joined together once the back half makes its way down south.
The float, “Shock n’ Roll: Powering the Musical Current,” features “massive stingrays at a rocking swim party on a coral reef with a trio of eels providing their current to electric guitars, a keyboard and turntable.”
Cal Poly officials say the float will be loaded onto a semi-trailer along with other elements like welded frames and mechanical hardware.
The students’ first joint workshop is taking place this weekend and Rose Float program president Quinn Ackerman says this is her favorite part of the year.
“This part of the year when we're loading the float onto the chassis marks the beginning of really the most exciting and fast-paced time of the year, which is why our two campuses get to work together directly and be together in one space. The rest of the year, we're working over 200 miles apart, so when we have the opportunity to work together in the Pomona lab, the energy is just electric,” Ackerman said.
Cal Poly students have built floats for the Rose Parade since 1948, making this year the 75th entry for the schools. Many of the floats have also won awards.
The float will make its way down Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day for the Rose Parade, but before that happens, students will spend the week after Christmas working non-stop to decorate the float with flowers and other natural materials.
