By Justin Velasco
The design for the 2010 Cal Poly Rose Float has been chosen and
will feature monkeys in a jungle barbershop giving haircuts to
animals such as lions, zebras and giraffes.
The float’s theme is “Jungle Cuts” and will be the 62nd
submitted to the parade as a joint venture by Cal Poly Pomona and
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in a tradition harking back to a time
when both schools were operated under a single administration.
Rose Float Committee Chair Kevin Hsu said the design was picked
from those submitted during the concept contest earlier in the
year.
“We’re going back to a comedic, cartoony float,” he said. “The
public likes the student-built floats because they are often
funny.”
The float is unique for being the only student-built float in
the parade annually.
All students and volunteers are welcome to participate in the
construction, which is usually done on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. in the Rose Float Lab in Building 26.
Hsu said students of all skill levels are welcome to attend and
will be trained in activities like welding and machining.
“It’s a great hands-on experience for any discipline,” he said.
“We’d love to see more people. There are so many
opportunities.”
As an alternative to the committee, the Rose Float Club offers
opportunities for students who wish to help, but aren’t necessarily
comfortable with getting their hands dirty.
Andrew Phan, club president and first-year landscape
architecture student, said the club has numerous activities planned
between now and the completion of the float in December.
Fall quarter will be one of the club’s busiest times. They will
be present at BroncoFusion so prospective volunteers can meet their
executive board.
They will also hold a newcomer’s picnic and Rose Float
Appreciation Day, which is a chance to honor donors and alumni, who
provide the bulk of the club’s funding.
In November, the club will host a luncheon for the Rose Parade
Queen and her court at the Restaurant at Kellogg Ranch, something
Phan describes as a “nice friendly gathering” and “a nice
lunch.”
In December, the naked float will be put on display for Rose Day
in University Park. The event will feature free carnival games,
food and face painting. Students will also be able to sign up to
assist with the final decorating of the float.
Students who volunteer may have the opportunity to attend the
parade and sit with President Michael Ortiz in a section of seating
set aside exclusively for Cal Poly.
Cal Poly Rose Float
Cal Poly Rose Float theme goes wild
