The first Rose Parade New Year's celebration in Pasadena took place in 1890. The event began as the Tournament of Roses, organized by members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club to promote the mild California climate.
The inaugural parade featured decorated horse-drawn carriages, flowers, and other attractions. Its organizers promoted Pasadena as a winter destination by contrasting its sunshine with the snow and cold experienced in much of the United States. The parade was held on January 1 unless that date fell on a Sunday, a scheduling rule that remains part of its tradition.
The event later expanded to include marching bands, equestrian groups, elaborate floats, and the Rose Bowl football game. The parade is often called the Rose Parade, but the Tournament of Roses is the organizing institution. It is a New Year's Day event rather than a midnight New Year's Eve countdown.