Rose Parade 2024: How to see the floats on display

PASADENA, Calif. - As people walk through the Red Gate, they're shouting "Happy New Year" wishes.

For the 45,000 or so expected to come to this annual two-day eye-opening event, it's another chance to show off the floats of this year's Rose Parade. 

There were 39 of them representing cities, corporations, causes, non-profits and more - so much to see.

When the Rose Parade ends, it feeds into the area by Pasadena High School where the floats go on display.

Shannon McConnell chairs the event on Sierra Madre and Washington. 

"This is Floatfest," she said. "This is where you can come see the floats after the parade is over."

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For Denice Aredondo, it was such a big deal she couldn't wait to get in line. She was first in line largely for the same reason as everybody else.

"I love to see the floats. See what they're made of, the creativity behind them," she said. 

She's gone every year for as long as she can remember.

Along the route, the float-makers are on hand to answer questions about how their floats and the pieces on them are made - the seeds, flowers and beans used, and more.

But, one with a lot more than flowers or seeds or beans is the One Legacy Donate Life Float. It won one of the major awards, but it's the float's heart that shined in this year's parade. 

When we met Margarita Hidalgo from Lake Elsinore, she explained that her son's picture was on the float.

Anthony Hidalgo's image was one of many who were donors. He passed away on April 2, 2020. But, in death - through organ donation, Hidalgo said her son saved eight lives. 

"He's my hero. I know that today he was watching this," she said.

Understandably seeing his image on the float, she started to cry because of so many feelings rushing through her. 

"It was very emotional to see him here, but I'm so proud of him that he would give a second chance to someone else."

It's messages like these that make the Rose Parade one of the greatest moving billboards in the world. 

"I think it's one of the most California things to do here," one Floatfest-goer said.