Rain Bird unveils '09 Rose Parade float entry
16 Dec, 2008 LM Direct!PASADENA, CA -- Rain Bird unveiled a color rendering of its 2009 float entry, Entertaining Expedition, in the 120 th Tournament of Roses Parade here.
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Prior to the unveiling, Tournament of Roses officials presented Rain Bird with the Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes Trophy, honoring the company's float as the most beautiful for the 2008 parade. That float, Preservation Celebration, captured the intimate relationship between water and life by celebrating India's rich heritage of weaving water into the fabric of its cultural celebrations.
That award is Rain Bird's seventh Sweepstakes Trophy and 11th overall Rose Parade trophy since 1997, the first year that the company participated in the New Year's Day tradition.
Mirroring the 2009 Rose Parade theme, Hats Off to Entertainment, the company's 2009 float entry, Entertaining Expedition , showcases an African safari as Earth's purest form of entertainment while bolstering its commitment to water conservation and the preservation of endangered species and the habitats in which they live throughout the world.
Water, a signature element of all of Rain Bird's floats, will be prominently featured on the float as 1,500 gals. of flowing recycled water will cascade over numerous waterfalls as elephants, lions, zebras and giraffes frolic in brilliant display.
"The Tournament of Roses Parade is a perfect fit for Rain Bird's steadfast commitment to environmental preservation and The Intelligent Use of Water, as there is no better stage to bring worldwide focus to the importance of adapting behaviors in order to conserve Earth's most precious natural resource," said Dave Johnson, the company's director of corporate marketing. "Our 2009 Rose Parade float entry, Entertaining Expedition, is a celebration of our planet, and by showcasing this safari scene we aim to call attention to the greatest show on earth while bringing awareness to the central role that water plays in sustaining all of the earth's inhabitants."
The company also announced the return of float riders, animal enthusiasts Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, OH and host of Into the Wild; and Walter Crawford, founder and executive director of the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, MO.
Rain Bird's participation in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade is only one example of how the company's focus on water conservation extends beyond products and services. Rain Bird devotes significant resources to its Intelligent Use of Water public initiatives, which include a series of White Papers, public service announcements, membership on the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the steering committee advising the U.S. EPA on its WaterSense product labeling program, bi-annual Intelligent Use off Water Summits, the Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, partnerships with non-profit organizations, development and support of elementary and middle school curriculums and The Intelligent Use of Water Award program that recognizes leaders in water conservation.
Entertaining Expedition float fast facts
— more than 50,000 roses
— 24 high-pressure misting nozzles
— realistic movement of all of the floral-laden animals
— a couple "bad boy" diesel engines
— specially designed chassis capable of supporting the 13,000 lbs. of flowing water
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