Pasadena, California, hosts the annual Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, following New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The Tournament of Roses Parade travels along Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard and is famous for floats decorated with natural materials, especially flowers and other plant matter. Marching bands and equestrian units also take part. The parade is organized by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.
The first Rose Parade was held in 1890. Pasadena organizers promoted the mild Southern California winter by presenting a floral celebration at a time when much of the United States was cold. The event later became a major national television tradition.
The Rose Parade is connected to New Year’s festivities but is not a New Year’s Eve event: it normally takes place on January 1. Its associated college football game, the Rose Bowl, is also played in Pasadena, although the parade and game are separate events.