Santa Barbara fashioned a 50-foot replica of the Taj Mahal out of roses, chrysanthemums, and lotus flowers as their parade entry. It took home first prize in the Class A-1 division.
Grandstand view of the 3 floats rounding a curve at the intersection of Orange Grove Blvd. and Colorado Blvd.: "Pink Shell," submitted by Manhattan Beach, with Elnora Record seated in a large, pink shell riding the crest of a wave, with Helene Epperson and Charlotte Havlu costumed as mermaids riding surfboards, and 2 little girls, Barbara Mae Pitzer and Rosemary Dubarry seated on either side; "Benjamin Franklin" submitted by Altadena showing Benjamin Franklin (Howard J. Stevenson) and a young assistant (Mickey McCarty) working at a hand press; and Inglewood's "Pioneer Memorial" float with a scout on a prancing floral steed with pioneer women and scouts seated below (Helen Robbins, Jean Teel, Alice Carmichael, Betty Ann Earl and Barbara Ziegler).
Vendor selling marionettes and football related mementos including miniature footballs on ribbons and pennants to spectators before the start of the Rose Parade
Vendor with his wares in a canvas bag suspended from his shoulder holding up a seat cushion to spectators before the start of the Rose Parade at the intersection of Orange Grove Blvd. and Colorado Blvd. with the Goodhue Flagpole in the background
The Grand Marshal float, which is decorated with 2,500 red and pink roses, includes a dais of white gardenias where Shirley Temple sits. On the front of the float are large roses made from thousands of rose petals.
A similar photograph appears with the headline, “Long Beach Depicts Sea of Roses and Metropolitan Water District Parker Dam,” Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan 1939: 3