Pekin Daily Times
Jonathan Friday’s design for a parade float could serve as an object lesson in a world where conflicts seem to dominate national and international headlines. The East Peoria native’s sketch depicted a knight and a dragon traditional enemies happily reading together.
“A knight and a dragon rewrite their story, trading battle for learning together,” Friday explained. “Reading side-by-side brings new understanding, and the start of a life-changing new friendship.”
Friday entered his float design for a 2020 open design contest sponsored by the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, which is responsible for the city’s annual entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade. His concept was chosen from more than 70 other entries to represent Burbank in the 2022 parade. The design contest was originally an effort to select a float for the 2021 parade, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the cancellation, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses A