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“Jingle on the Waves” float. Credit: Pasadena Tournament of Roses
Visit Newport Beach has been winning accolades for its creative tourism campaigns, but the city’s destination marketing organization has attained an even more prestigious achievement.
The Visit Newport Beach record-breaking float entry, “Jingle on the Waves,” won the coveted Extraordinaire Award at the 135th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on January 1.
At 165 feet, “Jingle on the Waves” is the longest float in the parade’s storied history. The float is comprised of five separate and distinct sections resembling boats connected to each other. All together the float featured more than 57,000 floral elements including mums, statice, strawflower, lentils, iris, carnations, seaweed, and various other creative touches representing the Newport Beach spirit.
Millions of viewers nationwide and around the world watched the parade and were no doubt impressed by the float, which was in essence a tribute to the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and to various elements that make Newport Beach an iconic destination.
The first float section was adorned with a pink flamingo, a festive polar bear, lights, toys, and gifts accompanied by an oversized group of trees.
The second section featured Newport Beach’s Balboa Pavilion and a lighthouse from the community’s Marina Park.
The third section was a special Rose Parade Queen tribute which included four former Tournament of Roses Rose Queens who currently reside in Newport Beach.
The fourth section featured the iconic Fun Zone Ferris Wheel illuminated with celebratory rockets.
The fifth section showcased a snowman wearing a top hat, extending warm wishes for a Happy New Year to everyone.
“Our winning float, ‘Jingle on the Waves,’ not only reflects the vibrant spirit of Newport Beach but also harmonizes with the universal language of music celebrated in the 2024 Rose Parade,” said Gary Sherwin, President & CEO of Visit Newport Beach. “Winning the Extraordinaire Award is a testament to the dedication of the Phoenix Decorating team and an incredible honor for our community, and it marks the resounding success of Newport Beach’s grand return to the global stage. We are so grateful to the countless volunteers who spent more than 10,000 hours decorating our float and bringing our vision to life.”
According to Visit Newport Beach, the historic ties between Newport Beach and the Rose Parade run deep. For many years, parade officials would bring Rose Queen candidates to Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Club to assess their poise and grace in interacting with people. The Rose Parade has also served as a source of inspiration for Newport Beach’s own Christmas Boat Parade.
For more information, please go to www.VisitNewportBeach.com.
