The pressure’s on for Josh Floyd.

The operations manager for Two Men and a Truck, who doubles as the company mascot, “Truckie,” has taken on the task of building this year’s 24th Annual Star City Holiday Parade entry: a treasure chest oozing with gold coins and jewels. 

The company hasn’t had an entry in several years. But when it did, it won awards.

Best Unique Vehicle in 2002.

Best Float in 2003.

Floyd, 28, came to work for Two Men and a Truck a little more than three years ago and almost immediately started negotiating with owner Eileen Marrison to let him enter a float in the parade.

This year, she agreed.

He and his girlfriend, Crystal Sydik, came up with the idea for the pirate’s treasure chest, he said.

He has finished the main part of the chest, with some helping hands, and on Saturday was working on the lid. 

He’s not a builder, he admits. But he’s learned a lot about the trade in the past three weeks.

“About 30 trips to Menard’s later, I think I finally have a handle on it,” he said.

The treasure chest, more than 8 feet tall,  will roll down the street chaperoned by pirates. It’s positioned somewhere in the middle of the “Toys on Parade” ensemble, just in front of the Lincoln Southwest High School band.

Truckie will be there, too, he said, grinning ear to ear.

Deb Johnson, executive director of Updowntowners Inc., which produces the parade in conjunction with the city of Lincoln, said Saturday organizers are tying up the loose ends and everything will be ready for the first Parade Preview Night on Friday.

It’s six days away yet, but Saturday’s weather is forecast to be partly cloudy with a high in the lower 40s.

Last year, the parade was postponed a week because of dangerously icy streets. This year, if the weather turns disastrous on Saturday, there will be no rescheduling, Johnson said.

But it’s looking good, so far.

And the Toys on Parade theme is expected to lend itself to lots of playfulness for kids and adults alike, she said.

Two of the large balloons — Cookie Monster and a clown fish that looks a lot like Nemo — are making a first-time appearance at the parade.

And the 17 marching bands will make it all worthwhile, rain or shine, Johnson said.

Parents and kids should be sure to bring their letters to Santa, who will write them back before Christmas if they enclose a return address.

But the true magic of the weekend comes from the people, like Floyd, who work so hard to make the floats and other entries, Johnson said.

“We’re all very passionate about this gift we give to the community,” she said.

Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.