Monrovia-based Trader Joe's float features musical garden

You've got to eat your veggies. But on New Year's Day, you'll have a chance to hear them, too.

Trader Joe's will celebrate its employees with its 22nd entry in the Rose Parade.

You will see the Fearless Flyer wearing a chef's hat and conducting an orchestra of vegetables with a wooden kitchen spoon. There will be the corn playing a saxophone, a broccoli choir, four dancing sunflowers, three rocking carrots, two swaying eggplants, a lobster plucking an onion bass, an avocado bass and a soup at the front of the float, which will spin 360 degrees with a ladle spoon.

It is made from the hair of corn silk pieces, glasses of red large kidney beans, arms of green ti leaves, fine ground split pea and a husk of green ti leaves and fine ground split pea, tops of dark lavender, yellow and kermit green mums; pink, orange and light green goblin carnations.

For more than two decades, Trader Joe's has celebrated its team's accomplishments and set a bright tone for the new year through the Monrovia-based company's participation in the Tournament of Roses.

The Pasadena parade is a fitting stage for the company, given that the chain of neighborhood grocery stores started in Pasadena in 1967.

Look out for the 55-foot-long and 25-foot-tall float in the 58th spot of the lineup for the 135th Rose Parade on Monday.

The float was crafted by Phoenix Decorating Co., titled “a one, a two, … a one — two — three — Broccoli!” which features a vibrant collection of colorful characters.

Given the parade's theme of “Celebrating a World of Music,” designers hope to bring the music of the kitchen to Colorado Boulevard in a celebration of their crew members and customers, Trader Joe's Public Relations Manager Nakia Rohde said.

Since winning the Rose Parade's

Animation trophy in 2005, Trader Joe's has picked up 13 more awards from its Rose Parade work, including the Wringley Legacy award last year.

The TJ's Florets — 12 crew members from across the country — will be riding along to help ring in the new year.

“This fun float brings together harmonious flavors in concert with the dynamic energy to celebrate our customers and Crew in every Trader Joe's neighborhood story,” Rohde said.