At first glance, a mix of foam and steel constructed into a small model may not look very impressive, but to longtime parade float builder, Tim Estes, it’s a tiny version of a massive float he is creating for the 2022 Rose Parade.

“The elephant is moving his head side to side throughout the parade,” Estes said as he pointed to a small animal structure on the model.

Estes is the CEO of Fiesta Parade Floats, a company he started in 1988. Over the years, he has perfected a construction method that starts with a drawing, then a small-scale model and ends with a full-size float.

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