PASADENA, Calif. -- Brilliant floral displays depicting a veritable world of sights and sounds, including a flying circus, an African veld and a scene from Shakespeare, paraded past a million spectators Saturday at the 94th annual Tournament of Roses.
Twenty-two marching bands and ensembles ranging from a fife and drum corps to a Dixieland jazz band provided the music as 60 floats, festooned with 20 million flowers traveled the 5 -mile route through the streets of Pasadena.
Police estimated 700,000 lined the route at the start of the parade. But as the sun rose in a cloudless sky, thousand more flooded the area, swelling the crowd past one million.
Despite months of planning, the parade was not without mishaps.
One of the most spectacular entries, a 30-foot-high circus featuring aerial trapeze artists literally ran into a snag on the first turn of the parade.
The procession was held up about 20 minutes as a clown and trapeze performer worked to unhitch a swing caught on a traffic signal. A tow truck was then used to help the float -- 'Children of all Ages' - negotiate the turn.
An entry by the International House of Pancakes was pulled out of the parade before it even reached the reviewing stand when a mechanical puppy at the front of the float caught fire, sending billowing smoke and sheets of flames skyward.
'We thought it was part of the show,' said Ann Mitchell of Coronado, Calif.
Wilma Rasmussen, 69, of Salt Lake City, died of an apparent heart attack. Police said she collapsed while standing with her husband James before the parade began. Paramedics took her to Huntington Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Floats sponsored by the city of Mission Viejo, Calif., and TransAmerica Corp. won top prizes for the parade, whose theme was 'Rejoice.'
Mission Viejo's float, 'Sweet Days of Love,' won the Sweepstakes Trophy as the most beautiful non-commercial entry. White chrysanthemums and pink roses were used to depict eloquently sculptured 3haxlop sea shells cradling two swans set off by a delicate arrangement of lace, ribbons and plumes.
TransAmerica's 'Triumph!' won the grand prize as the most beautiful commercial entry. The float, created with anthurium, bird of paradise, dendrobium .rshid plumes and 36,000 carnations depicted the victory of St. George against a fire-spewing dragon.
The floats cost between $40,000 and $120,000 each. Following the two-hour parade, the floats were taken to Victory Park for a weekend of viewing.
An estimated 65,000 campers braved overnight temperatures that dipped into the 30s to stake out choice curbside seats. Many brought couches, some small grills and scores huddled in alleys and business entry ways in an effort to fight off the chill.
By the time the UCLA-Michigan football game was under way, police had arrested 310 people, the vast majority on misdemeanor alcohol-related charges. Thirteen people were charged with felonies, most drug related.
Despite the arrests, up from 282 a year ago, police spokesman Michael Guerin said the crowd seemed well behaved compared to those in years past.
