Rose Parade fans get chance to see work of float volunteers up close

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Those who missed the 135th Tournament of Roses or just wanted a chance to see some of the beautiful handcrafted floats up close flocked to Pasadena on Tuesday for one last viewing opportunity.

Floatfest, which started after the Rose Parade ended on Monday and continued Tuesday until 5 p.m., offered a 2-mile showcase for visitors to appreciate some of the tiniest details that went into crafting the displays.
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"It was impressive," said 9-year-old Uma Alvarado. "There was a bunch of flowers everywhere."

Volunteers spent thousands of hours putting those floats together by hand, gluing on individual seeds, nuts and flowers. And that attention to detail was best appreciated by those who got the closest views.

"You think they look beautiful on television - you have to see them in real life," said Candy Carlson, a spokesperson for the Rose Parade. "You can actually smell some of them."
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