Fourth of July Float to Roll in Folsom Home Town Parade
Jul 01, 2020 12:00AM ● By Story and photo by Elise Spleiss
The Willy Wonka float is ready for some summer action. Left to right: Wayne Harmer, Mike Jones, Charles Norris, son Chase, Tiffany Norris and Pam Norris.
RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The year 2020 is the 11th year the Harmer family has created a float for the Rancho Cordova 4th of July parade. Building was well under way by the time the Covid19 pandemic hit and this year’s parade was cancelled. Since quitting is not an option for the three generations of Harmers, the family decided to finish the float as a Father’s Day present for their float designer dad, Wayne.
On Father’s Day an open house was held at the Harmer Home in Rancho Cordova to view the 28-feet-long, eight feet wide, and 10 feet high float which consists of an eight-feet-tall chocolate water fall, eight spinning lollipops, spinning flags strobe lights and a large turning paddle wheel. Forty gallons of nontoxic children’s finger paint continuously cycles through the water fall.
Rules for floats require one patriotic feature which will be Harmer’s granddaughter, Destiny, as the Statue of Liberty standing 10 feet into the air.
This year’s float is based on the 1971 version of ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ a movie which depicts the adventures of five lucky children from around the world who find five golden tickets hidden in chocolate bar wrappers and win a trip to Willy Wonka’s secret chocolate factory.
Other Harmer floats include The Wizard of Oz, Flintstones, Flower Power and Eagle Mountain. Harmer’s floats are the only nonprofessional, self-propelled parade floats in the region.
Five months of hard work by the Harmers will not be for naught. On August 29, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory will be rolling down Sutter Street in the old-fashioned Folsom Hometown Parade. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. the route is from Scott Street to Reading Street.
Harmer is pleased he has been able to share his passion for float making with so many over the last 11 years. His love for parades stems from viewing an endless number of military parades as an ‘Army brat’ growing up. He said he always wanted the parade to go around again so he could see both sides. Now Harmer is creating his own floats and everyone can see them from both sides!
