Orlando Citrus Parade

The Fresh From Florida Parade is an annual parade in Orlando, Florida which celebrates the holidays and two annual college football bowl games, the Champs Sports Bowl and the Capital One Bowl.

Started in 1980, the parade was previously known as the Florida Power (Progress Energy) Super Holiday Parade and most recently the Orlando Citrus Parade. In 2005, Delta Air Lines sponsored the parade, being called The Orlando Citrus Parade, presented by Delta Air Lines. Since 2007, Spherion has become a major sponsor of the parade along with Delta Air Lines as co-sponsor, being called The Spherion Orlando Citrus Parade, presented by Delta Air Lines. In 2011, the parade will be sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, renaming the parade as the Fresh From Florida Parade. This event is planned and produced by Florida Citrus Sports.

The parade is videotaped and syndicated to over 100 television stations for broadcast during the New Year's Day Holiday; TVS Television Network handles distribution. The parade has been seen in the USA and internationally broadcast to other countries like The UK, Bahamas and Canada. The City of Orlando can receive over 80,000 visitors for the parade.

The parade consists of high school and college marching bands, along with theme park characters from Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Sea World Adventure Parks. The main feature is the citrus-themed floats. These floats are similar to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, but instead of the Rose Parade's petals, the Citrus Parade's floats are decorated with oranges, grapefruits and tangerines.

The citrus floats are prepared and filled by over 600 volunteers who give their time during the 4 days period between December 26 and 29 of the year.

Then, generally on December 30 of every year (In rare occasions, the parade is done on the 29th, because December 30 is a Sunday, or 31 December, if the Capital One Bowl game comes on January 2), the streets of Downtown Orlando are packed with visitors from other places who come to see their high school marching band and the marching bands for the two universities which will have the match up at the Capital One Bowl that year.