How much does it cost to build a float?

How much does it cost to build a float?

As the world’s largest and most prolific parade float production company, we are frequently asked about what it takes to build a float.

We like to compare the building of a float to the building of a house. Just like houses, floats come in all shapes and sizes. Floats can range from tens of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars.

Kern Studios has built floats for parades and events ranging from five riders to 250 riders. Floats begin with design sketches and then move to customized production. Aside from Mardi Gras in New Orleans and at theme parks such as Universal Studios and Six Flags, we build floats for corporate sponsors, private birthday parties, holiday celebrations, sports teams, festivals, and more. Floats are customized with props, flowers, fiber optics, specialty lighting, and sound systems. We’ve built floats for celebrities such as Will Farrell, Jimmy Fallon, KISS, and Flo Rida.

One of our signature productions is the Pontchartrain Beach Float in the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade of the Krewe of Endymion. It holds the record for the both longest float in the world and the float with the most riders. With nine sections, the float is 365 feet long and carries 250 riders. Each section depicts a ride from the Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park. An industrial tractor equipped with a massive generator safely moves and stops the float and provides electricity for the abundant LED lighting.

Kern Studios offers a wide range of float production and rental services. There is no project too big or small for us, so contact us to begin the process.

Check out our YouTube channel to see various parade floats in action.

New Orleans, May 2017