The UPS Store’s float showcases its support for future small business owners through Junior Achievement USA® and announces $3.6 million donation milestone
SAN DIEGO, OCTOBER 9, 2023 – After winning the “most beautiful float entry” award for three consecutive years, The UPS Store, Inc., returns for the sixth time to participate in the 135th Rose Parade® presented by Honda on January 1, 2024, in Pasadena, California. The UPS Store, Inc., will debut its artistic float, “The Beat of Achievement,” in line with the 2024 Rose Parade musical theme, “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.” The float will highlight the company’s Start Small, Grow Big program with Junior Achievement USA® in support of the next generation of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“Thanks to the dedication of our network, generosity of our customers, and collaboration with Junior Achievement, we will continue to uplift our communities with our Start Small, Grow Big program illustrated at the Rose Parade,” said Sarah Casalan Bittle, President of The UPS Store, Inc. “Our float will strike a chord and have the audience and judges tapping their feet and clapping their hands to the beat of achievement.”
Since its inception in August 2022, the Start Small, Grow Big program celebrates surpassing $3.6 million in customer donations across The UPS Store® network of 5,100+ locations that help fund work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy learning experiences for school-aged children involved in Junior Achievement chapters in the United States.
The UPS Store 2024 Rose Parade float highlights the accomplishments of young, aspiring business leaders from Junior Achievement. The spectacular entry features an animated 35-foot-tall crocodile rapping his way through Pasadena to “The Beat of Achievement.” As the croc’s hip-hop career takes off, a posse of pink flamingos cheers him on. A vibrant puffer vest decorated with custom-grown marigolds complements the croc’s scaly green complexion. The surrounding tropical paradise overflows with tens of thousands of Pink Floyd roses, and a dazzling display of orchids, bromeliads, anthurium and heliconia. The UPS Store integrates one-of-a-kind design, gorgeous floral presentation, and hi-tech animation for the ultimate wow factor.
The float was designed by Charles Meier and will be built by Fiesta Parade Floats. "I’m so grateful to work with The UPS Store to bring their dynamic vision to life. This float showcases the importance of passing on entrepreneurial skills and financial literacy to today’s youth,” said Meier. “It communicates in a way that is fresh and fun for everyone. A hip-hop crocodile is a perfect example of how The UPS Store expresses imagination and their commitment to offering the very best.”
About The UPS Store
With more than 5,100 locations across North America, The UPS Store network comprises the nation's largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, print, and business service centers. The UPS Store centers are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of United Parcel Service, Inc., a Delaware corporation (although one or more may be company-owned). Services, prices, and hours of operation are subject to change and may vary by location. For additional information about The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com. Follow The UPS Store on social media at @TheUPSStore, facebook.com/theupsstore, and instagram.com/theupsstore.
