ROSE PARADE | AES Current 2025

The award-winning float builder behind

ROSE PARADE'S

most iconic moments

"Our goal is always to shoot for the stars – because why should clients expect anything less than awesome?"

— Craig Bugajski, AES CEO/President

1. IDEATION: Where Vision Takes Shape

Every great float begins with a conversation. We listen closely to your goals, aspirations, and creative ideas, working collaboratively to transform them into a bold, unforgettable Big Idea. This crucial first step lays the groundwork for a float that not only fulfills your vision but effectively delivers your key messages, setting the tone for an extraordinary journey ahead.

2. DESIGN: Bringing Ideas to Life

Building on the Big Idea, we move seamlessly into the Design phase, where imagination meets precision. Our team transforms your vision into a clear and detailed visualization, ensuring every element reflects your objectives. Through meticulous planning and artistry, we create a blueprint that captures the essence of your float, setting the stage for a masterpiece in motion.

3. FABRICATION: Crafting the Extraordinary

With unmatched expertise and cutting-edge technology, our team of skilled artists, carpenters, welders, and painters brings your float to life. As the only Rose Parade® builder with 3D modeling and digital sculpting capabilities, we ensure precision and innovation at every step. From concept to creation, we transform your vision into a stunning, one-of-a-kind masterpiece ready to dazzle audiences.

5. DECORATOR'S WEEK: Let’s Get People Talking!

Almost there! The excitement builds during Decorator’s Week, which takes place from December 26 - 31. Our dedicated PR and media teams provide comprehensive coverage to maximize your float’s visibility and impact. We invite you to relax or host an elegant private event in The Rose Club, our premium hospitality lounge. It’s your chance to celebrate in style while witnessing the final touches that bring your float to life.

FLOATFEST: Extend the Celebration

The excitement doesn’t end with the parade! Floatfest is the perfect event to showcase your masterpiece and expand your reach. Over two unforgettable days, thousands of guests gather to admire the floats up close. With a dedicated activation space, you can elevate audience engagement, create memorable experiences, and leave a lasting impression that extends far beyond the parade.

VOLUNTEERS

The Human Engine Behind Every Float

Each year, thousands of volunteers help bring our floats to life—petal by petal, turning the smallest details into massive spectacles.

It’s not glamorous work. It’s early mornings, late nights, and clothes covered in glue. You may not find them in the spotlight, but their fingerprints are everywhere. Along with their pride.

FAQ's

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THE AES DIFFERENCE:

Our Proximity Is Your Competitive Edge

Every float builder shows up to Pasadena for parade week.
We’re the only ones here year-round, with a permanent facility just steps from the Rose Bowl.

When you work with us, you’re not just building a float. You’re stepping into a fully operational ecosystem—brand activations, VIP hospitality, and insider access, all baked into the process.

It adds up to tighter logistics, smoother coordination, and a front-row seat to every moving part of the build.

The Rose Club

Your Sanctuary

Need a quiet spot to regroup? Or a place to host clients while the build wraps up? The Rose Club is your private lounge during Decorator’s Week—just steps from the action.

It offers:

Lounge space with refreshments and Wi-Fi
A place to recharge, get work done, or meet one-on-one

Access is first-come, first-served—reserve through your Client Relations lead.

Media Relations

Coverage That Moves the Needle

With The Pollack Group as our integrated media partner, we don’t just “do press.” We get results.

We provide:

Pre-event strategy and PR planning
On-site coordination and live interview support
Post-event visibility and earned media placement

Activation Space

Built to Stand Out

Transform your Rose Parade® participation into an unforgettable brand activation. Our Rosemont Float

Looking to activate inside the pavilion? We’ve got the space—and the team to help you do it right.

Perfect for:

VIP receptions for clients, execs, or sponsors
Team celebrations that mark the moment
Branded experiences that engage and stand out

We’ll help you shape it, stage it, and execute with precision.

Our event team handles every detail, delivering a seamless, high-impact experience built to match your brand and your moment.

Pricing is flexible and based on your needs. To get started, reach out to your AES Client Relations lead.

Space is limited and fills fast. Reserve early to secure your preferred date and location.

GALLERY

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HOW IT WORKS

IDEATION

We begin by listening. What’s the story? Who are you speaking to? What needs to resonate? Once the message is clear, our creative team gets to work—developing a bold concept that’s visually striking, strategically sharp, and always aligned with your goals.

DESIGN

Every float starts on paper. We make sure it works IRL.
We translate your story into a fully realized visual concept—one that balances creative ambition with parade-day performance. From hand-drawn ideation to detailed 3D modeling and animation-ready rendering, we dial in every dimension with the audience, the cameras, and the route in mind.Our team plans for everything—movement, pacing, visibility, impact—so that your float reads clearly, connects emotionally, and lands as planned.

FLORAL

The final layer, delivered with obsessive care.
Our floriculture team leads the transformation—bringing color, texture, and life to the surface of each float. Every bloom is mapped, sourced, and placed with precision by seasoned pros and thousands of dedicated volunteers. It’s a massive orchestration of hands, petals, and timing—resulting in a living, breathing spectacle that looks flawless from every angle, whether you’re seeing it from the sidelines or on a screen.

DECORATOR'S WEEK

Where the Work Meets the World

The last week of December isn’t just about florals. It’s about attention.
From December 26–31, our Pasadena pavilion shifts into high gear. Finishing touches take shape while cameras roll and stories unfold. This is where your build becomes a narrative—ready for press, content, and public reveal.

Our PR and media teams are on site, working with you to line up interviews, capture behind-the-scenes footage, photo ops, and social content—and to drive the kind of buzz that travels far beyond the parade route.

Need a place to host or recharge? The Rose Club—our lounge just steps from the action—offers a quiet space for clients, meetings, or media drop-ins.

Decorator’s Week is when the buzz begins and your message gains momentum.

PARADE DAY

This Is the Moment

Today’s the day.
No more renderings. No more walkthroughs. It’s showtime.
The float’s in motion. The cameras are rolling. The world is watching.

Our crew’s been on-site since before sunrise—staging floats, placing riders, running final checks, coordinating comms, and managing the thousand other details that never get seen but always get handled.

The result is a float that owns the moment.

FLOATFEST

Keep the Energy Moving

The parade may be over, but your float’s still working for you.
For two full days, thousands of guests return to the route to see the builds up close. It’s a chance to showcase the craft, scale, and storytelling behind the spectacle.

With a dedicated activation space, you can deepen brand engagement, create standout moments, and connect with an audience that’s already leaning in.

OUR SPECIAL LOCATION

Rosemont Pavilion:
Built Into the Heart of It All

Rosemont Pavilion is where everything comes together. Our Pasadena HQ is ground zero for final build—and your launchpad for activations, media, and hospitality. Operated year-round by AES, it's just steps from the Rose Parade route and the Rose Bowl Stadium.

This is where floats take final form, press crews drop in, volunteers show up, and clients activate. It’s where design meets execution—and where ideas go from plan to parade-ready.

And because we’re the only float builder based here, you get more than convenience—you get access. To the process. To the energy. To the center of the story.

● Client Relations: One Team, Fully Locked In

From kickoff to parade day, your Client Relations lead is your steady point of contact—tracking the details, aligning the teams, and making sure your float is moving forward at every stage. You’ll always know what’s coming, where things stand, and who’s handling what. No missed steps. No guesswork. Just a team with such competence, you’ll have complete confidence everything’s going to run smoothly.

● Project Management: Focused. Hands-On. No Loose Ends.

Our PMs stay in the weeds—tracking budgets, schedules, approvals, and handoffs across every phase of the build. They’re your direct line to production, problem-solving, and real-time updates.

They choreograph the complexity so that everything looks effortless.

● Public Relations:

AES is the only participating float builder that retains a full-time integrated PR and marketing agency to ensure your brand shines on the global stage. Through strategic media relations and pre-event and on-site counsel, we maximize your media opportunities, help brands communicate key messages effectively, and create buzzworthy moments that resonate long after the parade.

● Client Activations and Events:

Enhance your Rose Parade journey with exclusive client activations and events at Rosemont Pavilion. During Decorator’s Week, take advantage of our versatile event facilities to host gatherings that celebrate your brand and engage your community. Whether you’re planning a private reception, team celebration, or branded activation, our experienced event professionals are here to help, ensuring your event is perfectly aligned with your brand’s story.

CLIENT SERVICES

Where Brands Make Their Move

The Rose Parade is more than a New Year’s tradition—it’s a live broadcast and a rare chance to make a big impression on a global stage. When your float turns onto Colorado Boulevard, it’s more than decoration—it’s a declaration. A fully realized idea built to be seen, shared, and remembered.

We bring the full force of our creative, technical, and logistical firepower to help you deliver that moment with precision and presence. From first sketch to final bloom, every detail is handled in-house by teams who know how to pull off the extraordinary.

This is where story becomes spectacle, and your brand steps into the spotlight.

LET'S BUILD YOUR FLOAT