George Lucas Named 2007 Rose Bowl Parade Grand Marshall

Star Wars fans everywhere are waiting in anticipation of the 2007 Rose Bowl Parade which will welcome none other than George Lucas himself as Grand Marshall. This honor coincides with a massive gathering of the 501st Stormtroopers unit for participation in the parade. This 200 fan march has been in the works long before the announcement of Lucas for Grand Marshal. At Comic-Con International, George Lucas announced two Star Wars floats, one of Ewoks and another graced with the splendor of Star Wars world Naboo, would be in the parade in recognition of Star Wars' 30th anniversary. The theme of this year's Rose Bowl Parade is "Our Good Nature."

The website for the 501st legion Stormtrooper battalion is abuzz with preparations for the parade. A Star Wars documentary, "George and Me" about the creation and impact of the Starwars series, features footage of the costumed fan club, which is currently international with over 3,000 active members. At least five hundred of these individuals attended Star Wars Celebration 3.

The very first Tournament of Roses was held in 1890 as kind of a way Pasadena residents bragged about their temperate weather. Some consider it was likely a tourism stunt. The games weren't always about football. Sometimes they included events as unusual as ostrich races. The first football game didn't become part of the Tournament of Roses until 1902. Now, the game and parade go hand in hand.

Creating the floats is an undertaking that takes literally months, but the actually gluing on of all of the millions of botanical objects (parade rules state all floats must be covered in natural materials like leaves, flowers, seeds, or bark), starts right after Christmas. Hearty flowers can be glued and secured with wet foam, but delicate varieties have to be put in floral tubes and set like little gems in the frame of the float. Floats average about fifty - five feet long. Star Wars fans are fascinated with the thought of glimpsing the Naboo and Endor floats, both of which are expected to be incredible.

Annually, two dozen trophies are presented in various categories to the annual winning floats. There are only fifty floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade. There are only three judges for the awards, and the floats are judged twice during and after the creation process. The trophy is an ornate and incredible piece in itself.

There are sixteen bands in the Rose Parade annually. Though three times as many bands apply for the spots, there is only room for a lucky few. In 2007, the Grambling State University Marching Tigers from Louisiana will join the Star Wars themes by wearing costumes to honor the Star Wars series. The World Famed Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band began in 1926, and has had quite a respectable level of notoriety, including a well-deserved Presidential Performance in 2001.

George Lucas will also perform the traditional coin toss for the 2007 Rose bowl, which marks the 93rd Rose Bowl game, and the 118th Rose Parade. It will be televised on New Year's Day from Pasadena, California. Past Grand Marshals of the Rose Bowl have included William Shatner, Tom Brokaw, John Williams (Composer for Star Wars films as well as many other projects), Shirley Temple Black, and Charles Schultz.