Anchorage Daily News

Alaska's Tournament of Roses parade float claimed one of 24 prizes awarded Thursday.

The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau fielded the winning float in the traditional New Year's Day parade in Pasadena, Calif.

The float was titled, "Celebrating Alaska -- Spirit of the Wild."

It won the National Trophy, which goes to the float that best depicts life in the USA: past, present and future.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award," said Julie Saupe, President and CEO of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"We've applied to be in the parade for six years in a row now, so to have won an award in our very first outing is just incredible."

The prize comes just two days before the state celebrates its 50th anniversary of statehood tomorrow. Jan. 3 is the day in 1959 when Alaska became the 49th state to join the Union.

The float was designed by Fiesta Parade Floats designer Raul Rodriguez.

His work was a collage of masks representing all five major Alaska Native cultures; wildlife including a bald eagle, humpback whale, moose, bear, puffins, salmon, king crab and walrus; mushing and Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Libby Riddles; and Alaska's outdoor life including kayakers and hikers.

The bureau sponsored the float with help from several tourism and statehood commission partners.

They include: the Alaska Travel Industry Association, the Alaska Railroad, the Alaska Statehood Celebration Commission and the Anchorage Statehood Celebration.

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