Rose Parade
Every New Year’s Day, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float serves as a memorial to organ, eye and tissue donors. Introduced in 2004, it also provides a platform for donor families, living donors and transplant recipients to inspire the world.
It’s seen worldwide by millions of people. One of the most celebrated traditions on New Year’s Day is to enjoy viewing—either in person—or by watching on TV, the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
The Rose Parade is hosted annually by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, a volunteer organization.
Each year, donors are honored with floral memorial “floragraph” portraits that grace the Donate Life Float. A floragraph is a portrait created with floral materials. The loving and generous individuals portrayed in the floragraphs leave a positive impact on their families, communities, and those they helped.
ROSE PARADE 2016: Donate Life Float Is Award Winner for “Color and Color Harmony”
January 1st, 2016
The Tournament of Roses announced award-winning floats in the 127th Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California — and the Donate Life Float was named among the winners.
The float, whose theme was “Treasure Life’s Journey,” was honored by the parade organizers with the Isabella Coleman Award for best presentation of color and color harmony.
The Donate Life Float depicted a caravan scene at a desert oasis, celebrating the journey of life and the legacy of adventures by organ, eye and tissue donors and recipients.
It called attention to 52 men and 44 women from across the U.S. whose own journeys have been touched by the incredible gift of organ donation and transplantation:
- 24 riders, who are organ and tissue recipients (or, in a few cases, are family members representing loved ones who were transplant recipients);
- 12 walkers, men and women who made the remarkable but increasingly widespread choice of donating a kidney to a family member or even a stranger;
- and 60 “floragraphs,” portraits made from flowers depicting deceased donors whose legacies are celebrated by their loved ones.
Rose Parade 2015 Highlighted How Organ Donation Brought Three Families Together
ROSE PARADE 2015: Three-Way Connection of Living Kidney Donor, Deceased Donor and Organ Transplant Recipient to Be Honored
THE NEVER-ENDING STORY: 2015 Donate Life Rose Parade Float Design Is Unveiled
FLDRN's Donor and Recipient Honorees at the 2014 Rose Parade
"Light Up the World" Float Will Inspire 2014 Rose Parade Viewers
2012 Parade Float - Plus Honorees, 2008 Through 2011
FLDRN Took Part in 2013 Rose Bowl Parade