▁a ▁float . ▁For ▁almost ▁a ▁century , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Ros es ▁Association ▁were ▁white ▁males . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁tournament ▁officials ▁decided ▁to ▁inv ite ▁minor ities ▁and ▁women ▁into ▁the ▁committee . ▁Although ▁given ▁full ▁voting ▁rights , ▁new ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁association ▁could ▁not ▁serve ▁the ▁same ▁number ▁of ▁years , ▁serving ▁two ▁years ▁instead ▁of ▁nine . ▁M embers ▁in ▁City ▁Hall ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁example ▁of ▁change ▁within ▁communities . ▁They ▁en vision ed ▁a ▁more ▁diverse ▁and ▁inclus ive ▁community . ▁Adv oc ates , ▁volunte ers ▁and ▁community ▁leaders ▁supported ▁the ▁decision . ▁ ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Ros es ▁Association ▁carefully ▁cho oses ▁participants ▁who ▁will ▁represent ▁their ▁local ▁community . ▁Many ▁fl oral ▁structures ▁that ▁are ▁accepted ▁each ▁year ▁from ▁corpor ations , ▁and ▁volunt ary ▁associations . ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁par ades , ▁flo ats ▁were ▁carried ▁by ▁horses ▁and ▁carri ages ▁that ▁transport ed ▁local ▁dign itar ies ▁and ▁resident ▁el ites . ▁ ▁Modern - day ▁process ▁Over ▁time , ▁contest ants ▁began ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁unique ▁and ▁original ▁designs . ▁Today , ▁flo ats ▁are ▁more ▁elaborate ▁and ▁bigger ▁in ▁size . ▁Although ▁participants ▁continue ▁the ▁tradition ▁of ▁decor ating ▁flo ats ▁exclus ively ▁with ▁flowers , ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁new ▁technology ▁such ▁as ▁computer ized ▁animation , ▁and ▁rob ots ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁design . ▁Some ▁materials ▁also ▁allowed ▁in ▁flo ats ▁include , ▁steel , ▁pl astic , ▁wire