Industry News

Local florist Sharrai Morgan was a flower design team float leader for the Fiesta Parade Float Company at this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, and her main float was the Chipotle-sponsored float “Cultivate the Future of Farming,” which won the Grand Marshal’s Award for Most Outstanding Creative Concept and Float Design. Sharrai Morgan was in charge of one float and assisted with another float that appeared in this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, but for the local florist, this was far from her first rodeo. Morgan, the owner of Holly’s Fine Flowers in Port Townsend, first took part in preparing a float for the Rose Parade eight years ago, and was at it again just last year, but this year marked the first time she was in charge of one of the floats’ floral teams, in what she pointed out is one of the most-watched parades in the United States, along with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “I was a flower design team float leader this year for the Fiesta Parade Float Company, and my main float was the Chipotle-sponsored float with farm inspiration,” Morgan said. “Its name was, ‘Cultivate the Future of Farming,’ and it won the Grand Marshal’s Award for Most Outstanding Creative Concept and Float Design.” Morgan and her shop’s lead designer, Andy Mabra, also assisted the design operations and Emerald City sections on the Kaiser Permanente-sponsored float, with “The Wizard of Oz” theme, whose name was “Courage to Reimagine.” It won the Wrigley Legacy Award for Most Outstanding Display of Floral Presentation, Float Design and Entertainment. Morgan cited her induction into the American Institute of Floral Designers, more than a decade ago, with helping her make the connections that got her involved in the Rose Parade. Morgan noted that AIFD membership requires a florist to demonstrate “professional design excellence,” and her accreditation carries with it the responsibilities of educating her fellow florists and the general public, with somewhere between 180 to 250 florists testing for AIFD accreditation each year. As for the Rose Parade, Morgan explained that it has […]

Source: ptleader.com