ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) – College football’s Rose Bowl game kicks off each year with the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. This year, Louisiana is putting its parade skills to the test for the fourth year in a row!
“This year’s theme is Best Day Ever,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. “We’re highlighting Saturday night, all the great things to do in Louisiana on a Saturday night, LSU football and Tiger Stadium, the 400 fairs and festivals and Mardi Gras celebrations all over Louisiana.”
With over 100 Louisianans volunteering to help create the float, “Louisiana Saturday Night” will proudly feature an alligator adorned with beads, carrying a Cajun dance hall and pots of boiled seafood, representing the food, music, and joy that define a “Louisiana Saturday Night.”
The float embodies Louisiana’s vibrant spirit, with a giant alligator made of lime slices, broccoli florets, ti leaves and bell peppers.
The playful gator represents the state’s adventurous bayous, complete with a swaying umbrella made of hot pink and purple statice, yellow button mums, lentils and red kidney beans.
At the center is the iconic blue moon saloon, showcasing the Pelican State’s live music culture, with nods to Cajun and Zydeco.
How Louisiana become a part of the parade
“Four years ago, we were trying to decide what do we do to lure tourists back after COVID, as we’re competing against all the states for the same tourism dollars,” Nungesser said. “Well, what do we do better than anyone? We throw a parade, Mardi Gras! So, we looked around the country and found the Rose Parade. We came out and made a presentation. That year we knocked it out of the park. We won awards for our performance and for our decorations. Each year we’ve won awards, and we get about 40 million dollars earned media from this event. It’s a great way to kick off the New Year with people at home thinking about where we’re going to go on vacation.”
KALB asked Nungesser about what exactly makes the perfect Louisiana Saturday night. He shared:…