Looking Back: Days of 47 Parade Float

I was just thinking about what we were doing almost exactly a year ago... and it made me tired to think about it! We were putting the finishing touches on our float to run in the Draper Parade, then to show it in the  Float Preview Party, and then to run it in the big event: Days of  47 Parade.

This is what we started with: a cruddy wood base attached to the skeleton of an old station wagon.

And ended with this beauty:

Since our stake is in Draper, we wanted it to be something to do with Draper. We naturally chose hang-gliders, the rodeo, biking, the historical park pavilion, and then we chose eggs to be the people on the float. Draper used to be known as the "Egg Basket of Utah", so we figured that would be a fun way to bring that in.

At the Preview Party, we had some posters around our float that described the process as being as easy as 1-2-3! (definitely tongue in cheek). The first poster talked about the research and history behind our float.

The next poster showed the team we gathered. 

We knew we had to begin with a great crew. They were amazing, and so willing to work hard and give up their time. You can see some of them in the photo below.

And the last poster showed the supplies and hours it took to put the float together.

Here is Bob, all decked out in his painters coveralls. They were handy for crawling underneath the float, but they were SO hot to wear! 

The back of float as it is running
in the Draper Parade

And the highlight of the Days of 47 Parade was seeing President Monson drive by, with a great smile for the crowds! The photo is a little fuzzy, but I love it!


That was definitely a once in a lifetime assignment (I hope!). We worked harder on that float than on any other project I can think of. We were called a year before the actual Days of 47 Parade, and then started attending meetings and classes, and then began physical work on the float in January. Some weeks we met every weeknight plus Saturday. Oftentimes a group of us gathered during the daytime, too. It was quite the project, and we learned a lot from being involved with it. One thing I had reaffirmed is that my husband can figure out a way to build anything I (or anyone else) can come up with. Its a great talent, and I may or may not take complete advantage of it!