THIS YEAR’S BATTLE Ground Rose Float took home the Theme Award June 7 in the 2014 Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade in Portland. The float was created with the theme “60 Years of Memories” and featured elements of floats from prior years. Battle Ground has entered a float in the Portland parade annually since 1955. Photo courtesy of Marvin Case
MEMBERS OF THE Battle Ground Rose Float Court who rode on the float during the Portland parade were (from left to right) Lexi Dufault, Briget Flynn, Alice Emch and Yana Crossland. The four girls rode atop the float and waved as spectators during the parade. Photo courtesy of Marvin Case
The Battle Ground Rose Float took home the Theme Award June 7 in the 2014 Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade in Portland.
The Theme Award recognizes the float with the best presentation of the Rose Festival theme.
The parade attracted 13 all-floral floats, 17 bands, and 21 equestrian units, plus other entries..
The Battle Ground float was created with the theme “60 Years of Memories” and featured elements of floats from prior years. Battle Ground has entered a float in the Portland parade annually since 1955. The Battle Ground theme followed the Portland theme of “ Making Memories.”
The Battle Ground float brought back memories with large seeded panels depicting past floats, along with heads of critters reminiscent of prior floats including a tiger, an inch worm and an elephant.
The float is built entirely by volunteers and funded by donations and fundraising events including the sale of fireworks. Construction materials, flowers and various supplies cost about $15,000 each year.
The sweepstakes award for the most outstanding float overall went to Alaska Airlines with a float that featured a parrot as captain of a pirate crew, and included live birds.
Members of the Battle Ground Rose Float Court who rode on the float in the parade were Yana Crossland, Lexi Dufault, Alice Emch and Briget Flynn. Sunny skies and warm temperatures were enjoyed by an estimated 400,000 people who lined the 4-mile parade route.
Parade rules require that all visible surfaces of each float be completely covered by living or once-living materials.
Sandy Helyer currently serves as president of the Battle Ground Rose Float board of directors.
The Battle Ground float was the 32nd entry in the parade. The float followed directly behind the Battle Ground High School band which, under the direction of Greg McKelvey, took second place among bands outside Oregon with 99 or fewer members. The Hockinson High School band was the 28th entry in the parade line-up.
Other parade entries from Southwest Washington included the Clark County Fair Court, Miss Vancouver Rodeo queen Amanda Knopp, and bands from Heritage, Columbia River and Union high schools.
Battle Ground won the sweepstakes award as the overall best float in the 2006 grand floral parade.
The popular One More Time Around Again marching band was featured as Grand Marshal of the 2014 parade.
BG bands win in Junior Parade
For the sixth time in nine years, the Pleasant Valley Middle School band in the Battle Ground School District won the sweepstakes award in the 2014 Junior Parade held June 4 in Portland.
Two other bands from the Battle Ground School District also earned awards in the Junior Parade. The Maple Grove Middle School band took second place among bands of 99 or fewer members, while the Tukes Valley Middle School band finished third in the same category.
