Parade Float Building

The Portland Rose Festival Builds Parade Floats!

Rose Festival's iconic Grand Floral Parade is known for its amazing floral-covered floats, many featuring huge images of animals, both realistic and whimsical. The tiger jumping through the ring of fire, the bobcat pawing at the fluttering butterfly, the giant mother coyote with her pups...fantastic figures like these have created magical memories for hundreds of thousands of parade-goers during the past thirty years.

More Than Rose Festival Parade Floats
Rose Festival's float building team is ready to work with clients on realizing their creative and marketing goals for parades around the United States. While large floats covered with natural materials are synonymous with our brand, we are ready to build for many different parades—both daytime and nighttime events. Our team is experienced in parade effects that include sound and lighting. In 2022 we built floats for Pride Northwest and for Seattle Pride, and in 2023 we will include Boise Pride and Denver Pride events.

Parade Float Design & Construction

For decades these ahh-inspiring floats and many, many others were designed and constructed by the company Studio Concepts (aka SCi 3.2)—Rose Festival's Official Float Builder since 1995—led by industry expert Gene Dent. In 2022, the Portland Rose Festival Foundation acquired the assets of this well known float-building company from Gene Dent, including much of his experienced team of artists and artisans. Gene himself is now Rose Festival's top advisor on float designing and building, as well as the festival's agent in some of our client-facing work.

We Want to Build Your Dream Parade Float

Let's connect!
We'd like to be YOUR float builder! Contact Rose Festival CEO Marilyn Clint, marilync@rosefestival.org, 503.227.2681 for information on costs and process for designing and building parade floats and large scale décor.

Decorate Parade Floats and Volunteer with Us!

If you're interested in volunteering to help decorate this year's parade floats, go to https://www.rosefestival.org/p/support/volunteer

Float decorating is a fun, unique opportunity to be part of one of the top parades in the world! Volunteers can earn reportable community service hours, tickets to CityFair, and reserved seats at the Portland Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade! You can volunteer as an individual, with your friends and family, or with larger community or company groups!