SANDY — Amid the balloons and bright lights at the Days of '47 float preview, Mont Ashworth surveys his one-of-a-kind float, which is decorated in glitter, has 25 moving foam pieces and a functioning waterfall.
"You do all this hard work for the two days here (at the float preview), where people can come and enjoy it," Ashworth said.
His float is one of dozens of local floats scheduled to appear in the Days of '47 Parade on July 25 in Salt Lake City.
"Our theme is 'Pioneers in the Field of Electricity,'" Ashworth said. "There's a lot of different pioneers in different fields, and we wanted to bring something that's a little bit different to the parade than what we traditionally would see that a pioneer is."
His float is largely made from pieces of foam, including small hand-painted square pieces glued together to form the base of the float.
"I don't know if I can really say what is my favorite part because there are so many things on this float that are appealing to the eye," the 68-year-old builder from Taylorsville said.
Other highlights include a large model of Hoover Dam and a nodding Minecraft-like figure of Zeus, the Greek god of lightning. The float also features 18 twirling foam wind turbines and six swaying lightning storm caricatures.
The fully functioning waterfall is a part of the Hoover Dam design on the back of the float.
"The water was a particular challenge. There's no float building manual," Ashworth said. "In a lot of work that you do on the float, you're doing it hoping that it will work."
The waterfall was assembled over 30 times as Ashworth worked to perfect the design. Water will run down the waterfall during the parade. The moving parts and waterfall will be powered by battery.
"We just wanted to bring a little diversity to the parade, and I think that we've done that. It's been very well received, especially by kids," he said.
This is the third float Ashworth has made over the years for the Days of '47 Parade.
Ashworth said he and volunteers spent over 1,800 hours designing and building the float, which cost around $10,000 in supplies and materials.
"Is there anywhere where there's not glitter? Because at my house, it's everywhere," said his daughter, Amy Ashworth.
Mont Ashworth said he started working on the float in May and has worked on the project eight hours a day every day except Sundays.
"That's been my last four months — eating, sleeping, breathing, dreaming, thinking: float," he said, laughing.
Ashworth doesn't call himself an expert in engineering. He credits his knowledge to projects he's worked on while being a homeowner.
"It was just trial and error, and if something didn't work, I'd try something else," he said.
Ashworth said he's planning on donating the rotating Zeus character to Primary Children's Hospital when the parade is over.
Email: astilson@deseretnews.com