Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is preparing a show.

It's going to weigh upwards of nine tons, travel 5.5 miles, and incorporate fire and water elements into the spectacle.

Of course, the "show" is their upcoming Rose Parade® float.

Called, "Having A-Lava Fun", the float incorporates animation, special effects and a lot of imagination.

Nonprofit Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is a "self-built"--one of the six independent, noncommercial floatbuilders creating floats which they'll drive in Pasadena's Tournament of Roses® Parade on New Year's Day.

A tradition of excellence

According to their website, Burbank Tournament of Roses Association have been participating in the parade since 1914! In those 110 years, they've garnered numerous awards. These include the Mayor Award, this past January, for "Most Outstanding Entry From a Participating City", for their 2024 entry, "Caterpillar Melody".

And, quick note--even as they prepare for the 2025 parade, coming up on New Year's Day, Burbank ToR are thinking a year ahead! Their 2026 Design Contest is currently in progress. Submissions will be accepted from now through 8 pm on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Here's a link for more information!

While the show happens on New Year's Day, Burbank Tournament of Roses Association works year-round on their incredible floats. And they welcome volunteers--especially those who can work with them throughout the year. (Here's where to find out more.)

Steve Edward is Burbank ToR's Vice President-Float, and Bob Hutt is their Vice-President Administration. In this episode of Over Coffee®, we explore the ways S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math) elements work together in creating their award-winning floats.

“Right now, I feel we’re exploring a new frontier phase of AI and the arts," says Jeannine Flores.

In her role as Arts and STEAM Coordinator in Los Angeles County Office of Education‘s Center for Distance and Online Learning, Jeannine draws on her background in music and performing arts, as well as her 19 years teaching school in Orange County.

And she considers artificial intelligence--when used ethically--a great tool for sparking creative ideas.

For anyone who fears having AI replace artists' creative input, her message is highly encouraging.

“The thing that’s missing (in AI-generated content) is the human component,” she says.

“That human connection to art, to music, to dance…whichever art form we’re looking at. We still need to have that human element.”

In this interview recorded in Spring, 2024, Jeannine offered a closer look at some of the ways educators and creatives can use AI ethically--and effectively!--during the creative process.

In 1949, a group of students decided to build their own float and participate in Pasadena's Tournament of Roses® Parade.

Ever since, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float have been coming up with new ways to wow parade goers--and winning awards for their work.

As one of only six independent noncommercial floatbuilders, called "self-builts", in the parade, Cal Poly Universities' entry is unique for several reasons.

First of all, they're the only student-built float in the Rose Parade®,

Secondly, the float, built from the frame up, is constructed by two student groups. At the start of the building process, these groups are working from campuses more than two hundred miles apart!

Two teams become one

Annually, the students at Cal Poly Pomona build the front half of their float's chassis, while the students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo build the back half.

Then, in October, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students bring their half down to the Pomona campus. The two halves are joined--and from then on, the groups work as one, crafting their Rose Parade® entry.

So far, the Cal Poly Universities students' entries have won more than 60 awards--which brings up the third reason their float is unique.

As students, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float participants have room to "play" and experiment with new methods and technologies.

And frequently, the results are Rose Parade® "firsts".

Brooke Handschin is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float in Pomona, while Collin Marfia is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, San Luis Obispo.

Brooke and Collin talked about their experiences with Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, what it's like to create and drive their innovative entries and, of course, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float's 2025 entry, "Nessie's Lakeside Laughs", which will be their 76th Rose Parade® float.