A talented Swift Current florist will be once again heading to the prestigious Rose Parade in Pasadena, marking another milestone in her career. 

Poppy Parsons's floral expertise has earned her an invitation to participate in this iconic event for the fifth consecutive time. 

The Smart Flowers owner will contribute her creative touch to the 2024 parade's theme: Celebrating a World of Music; The Universal Language. 

“It's still really unbelievable,” she said. "I guess it’s just a testament to hard work and volunteering and working well with people. We have fun. It's hard work and it's long hours, but it's a lot of fun. I'm an assistant to the lead floral float decorator; I follow their guidelines, I follow what their plan is, and we work well together, and we get things accomplished. So, I think it's just a testament to that. I’m so proud to be asked again." 

The New Year tradition, known for its intricate floral arrangements and unique float designs, is a visual masterpiece that captivates audiences worldwide.  

With this year’s theme centred around music, the upcoming January 1st parade will be no exception, featuring audible aspects to satisfy the senses. 

While the specific float that Parsons will be working on this year remains a secret, she hinted that it might offer a change from her previous assignments over the past three years. 

She added that while the event preparation has its routines and structures, each experience of her solo travels to volunteer at it have been unique. 

“It's just always so different,” said Parsons. “I mean, there's always a different theme to the float, there's a different theme to the parade, there's different people that are volunteering, there's hundreds that you see in a day. It's really unique. It's not as crazy as probably the football game is, but everybody's just excited for it. It's bringing in the new year, and it's tradition. People are just excited to be there.” 

Decoration has already begun its earliest phase with volunteers decorating seeds onto the bones of the floats. 

As she awaits the quickly approaching end of the year, Parsons will continue to update those cheering her on in Swift Current through social media, eventually revealing which colourful show-stopper she’ll be contributing to.