▁non - com mer cial ▁entries ▁include ▁smaller ▁companies ▁or ▁organizations ▁such ▁as ▁Cal ▁Poly ▁Univers ities ▁and ▁particip ating ▁cities . ▁Lar ge ▁commercial ▁flo ats ▁attract ▁more ▁attention ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁time ▁and ▁money ▁inv ested . ▁Small , ▁non - com mer cial ▁flo ats ▁are ▁usually ▁self - built ▁and ▁often ▁obtain ▁money ▁through ▁don ations ▁and ▁volunt ary ▁labor . ▁T ogether , ▁there ▁are ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 ▁flo ats ▁particip ating ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁early ▁par ades ▁in ▁history , ▁the ▁ 5 . 5 - mile - long ▁annual ▁festival ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁major ▁impact ▁within ▁the ▁community . ▁Th emes ▁are ▁chosen ▁carefully , ▁and ▁avoid ▁controvers ial ▁topics ▁such ▁as ▁politics , ▁religion , ▁sex . ▁Most ▁theme ▁names ▁are ▁broad ▁and ▁simple ▁for ▁people ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁theme ▁without ▁an ▁explanation . ▁Th emes ▁can ▁be ▁interpreted ▁in ▁many ▁ways ▁and ▁design ers ▁can ▁get ▁cre ative ▁and ▁express ▁meaning ful , ▁important ▁messages ▁within ▁their ▁flo ats . ▁The ▁collaboration ▁between ▁the ▁volunte ers ▁provides ▁a ▁community ▁bond ing ▁that ▁is ▁reward ing ▁to ▁the ▁people ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁design , ▁construction ▁and ▁decor ation ▁process ▁of ▁the ▁flo ats . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁para de , ▁flo ats ▁are ▁stri pped ▁to ▁their ▁ch ass is . ▁Struct ural ▁steel ▁elements ▁are ▁re used ▁where ▁possible ; ▁organ ic ▁materials ▁and ▁sculpt ural ▁steel ▁are ▁rec yc led . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁each ▁year