Former Rose Queens now living in Newport Beach are ready to ‘Jingle on the Waves’ New Year’s Day in Pasadena

At 89 years old, Nancy Thorne Skinner thinks this will probably be the last time she rides in the Rose Parade.

Skinner said there had only been the early beginnings of television when she was named Rose Queen in 1952. Now, she and three other former Rose Queens who live in Newport Beach will be broadcast into homes all over the country.

This will not be the first time that the four of them have ridden together on a float, according to Anne Martin Wortmann, who was Rose Queen in 1976.

Wortmann said the foursome, which includes Skinner, Ann Mossberg Hall, named in 1957, and the 1975 queen, Robin Carr Sanders, rode on the Newport Beach float together in 2006 when the city last participated in the Rose Parade for the city’s centennial.

Wortmann said she remembered the rain and the plastic suits that they had to wear that year, adding that she’s hopeful the weather will be clear on New Years’ Day.

Pictured in front of the 2006 Newport Beach float from left to right is former Mayor Don Webb, an unnamed donor, former Rose Queens Anne Wortmann, Ann Hall, Nancy Skinner and Robin Sanders, with Steve Rosansky at far right.

(Courtesy of Don Webb)

Sanders said the hope was always that it wouldn’t rain, but the unfortunate timing made it one of the most memorable parades that she’d participated in — five, this year by her count. She remembers the streets still being lined with people, though it poured all throughout that day.

“Not this year, no rain!” Wortmann said, laughing.

With storms in the forecast this weekend but not later, it looks like Wortmann and the other former queens will be in luck as it isn’t expected to rain on their parade come Monday.

Sanders said it seemed that Visit Newport Beach was pulling out all the stops to treat them to a memorable event. The four met with the tourist bureau, discussed the outfits they’ll wear and were told they‘ll be chauffeured to and from the parade in style.

Robin Carr Sanders, left, prepares to ride on the Occidental Life Insurance Company float in 1976. Sanders was crowned Rose Queen in 1975.

(Courtesy of Robin Sanders)

“It’s so much fun because these women are just magnificent. It’s real camaraderie,” Sanders said.

The Newport Beach float is themed “Jingle on the Waves” and is reportedly the longest in the Tournament of Roses’ history. The float links together some of the city’s most iconic features, including the Balboa Fun Zone, the Balboa Pavilion and the recently featured Christmas Boat Parade.

Decorating started earlier this month, and waves of volunteers have come into the Irwindale warehouse of the Phoenix Decorating Co. for eight-hour shifts to make sure the float is ship-shape.

“It looks great and everything is on schedule,” said Gary Sherwin, the chief executive officer and president of Visit Newport Beach. “We’ve had a wonderful turnout from the community on decorating. There is a real sense of civic pride.”

Chad Gloetzner of Mission Viejo volunteers his time to work on Newport Beach’s first float since 2006 for the upcoming Rose Parade in Irwindale on Dec. 16.

(James Carbone)

Plans for the float started in March when the Tournament of Roses first reached out to gauge the city’s interest in participating. Everything came together quickly afterward. Phoenix Decorating Co. was contracted to build the float, and dry structures went in at the start of December. It was only in the last week, just before the judging stage, that the floral decorations started being applied to the structures.

The local Rose Queens said Visit Newport Beach reached out to them in September.

“To be able to do this one more time and, this will definitely be the last,” Skinner said, laughing, “is really kind of a treat. It’s fun, so my family’s enjoying it too. Both my daughters and son-in-law and a lot of relatives … will be watching. My sister still lives in Pasadena, so she is going to have us all at her house. It should be fun.

“We’re going to wear a nautical outfit and we’ll all look the same. We’re on a float … that is hoping we’ll attract people to this wonderful community of ours.”

Volunteers work on the final touches on Newport Beach’s float for the upcoming Rose Parade, “Jingle on the Waves.”

(James Carbone)

Wortmann said she and the others haven’t seen the float yet, but they’ll be having a dress rehearsal Sunday. As for why they agreed to ride the float?

“I think because we’re Newport Beach,” Wortmann said. “We’ve been part of the community for a long time and are active in the community. Gary Sherwin is such a good guy. It’s just one of those times that you know, somebody asks you and maybe no one will ever ask you again. So, it’s nice to take advantage of the opportunity and it should be the longest float in the parade in the history of the Rose Parade.”

Of the float and the city’s participation, Mayor Will O’Neill said this week, “Newport Beach has been a beacon of hope and quality of life in this state for years. Now, we are shining a light on the national stage, inviting folks to join us.”

Volunteers work putting on the final touches on Newport Beach’s float for the upcoming Rose Parade “Jingle on the Waves,” at the Phoenix Decorating Co., in Irwindale on Wednesday.

(James Carbone)