to-coast CBS telecast, an hour-long
nationally syndicated show and a two-
hour show by WDIV-TV.
"For 364 days a year, we are pro-
ducing a product that no one sees. But
on that one day it emerges. And it is
the shining jewel for the three hours
that it goes down Woodward. Then it
goes back again for the next year," said
Gross. "On parade day we have to set
up a city. Yet people ask me, 'You
work all year on this parade? What
can you find to do all year?'"
A goal for 1998 is to put together a
very strong strategic business plan
that will carry us into the next three to
five years. The parade will be 75 years
old in 2001. We need to create an
endowment fund," she said.
IP
She will continue to develop
new profit centers, like renting out the
Parade Company's studio for Chrysler
Corporation's holiday media party this
week. The Parade Company also pro-
duces the International Freedom
Festival and the fireworks display over
the Detroit River, which will mark its
40th anniversary next year.
"We also
run the indoor
holiday carni-
val at Cobo
Center, and
that's a revenue
store for us,"
said Gross.
This year's
Red Wing
Championship
IP
Parade was
another oppor-
tunity for
Gross to create
revenue to
support the
Thanksgiving
parade. She
had 36 hours
to prepare for the parade, and did it
by changing the Distinguished Clown
Corps float to the Distinguished Cup
float, with a 12-foot Stanley Cup in
the middle.
Gross still has the cup replica
"should they need to use it again.
When people see a Thanksgiving float
like 'Mary, Mary' coming down the
street, they don't respond so emotion-
MR ally as they did when they saw Steve
Yzerman," said Gross.
Gross created another cottage indus-
try by renting out the parade's balloons,
costumes and papier-mache character
heads to other cities. Floats would be
somewhat tougher to ship. Among her
clients are the Brisbane, Australia, St.

Top: Costume heads.

Bottom right:
Birds ride on some of the floats.

,

Bottom left: An employee fixes costumes.

Patrick's Day Parade, the Boise River
Festival in Idaho, and the San Juan,
Puerto Rico, Christmas Parade.
Born in Detroit, Gross lived in
Palmer Woods. She graduated from
Kingswood and the University of
Michigan. Married for 21 years to
Neil, the family lives in Bloomfield
Township.
Gross is the author of The Mommy
Manager (1982) and Taking Care of

Mommy (1986).
She began her career as a private
events planner. "I used to plan parties,
bar mitzvahs, weddings. I can tell you
how many canopies or desserts to fig-
ure per person as well as how many
people to fit into a bleacher section. I
covered the whole range," said Gross.
"I have picked up chicken nuggets
from the floor at a bar mitzvah. I have
earned every step of the way here." ❑

To increase revenue, the Parade'; _
Company rents out many of
the items that travel down
Woodward Avenue once a year.
The rates:
* $5,500 for Rainbow Fish,
Uncle Sam and three other
giant helium balloons, to
$2,750 for the smaller
Nutcracker and Penguin. (The
rate includes equipment, heli
um, bladders and one st
expert per unit. It does not
include travel, batteries if need-
ed, accommodatiorth, shipping
and balloon handlers).
* $500 each Three Little
Pigs and Tweedle Dum/Tweeclle
Dee inflatable costumes.
* $750 for rolling clowns
(not including shipping).
* $300 for large and $200
plus shipping for small papier
mache heads.
* Floats are also available, at
various rates, and include all
equipment and two experts.
Prices do not include shipping,
permits, staff travel and accom-
modations.

12/26
1997
111