Pasadena, California, hosts the annual Rose Parade on New Year’s Day.
The parade, officially the Tournament of Roses Parade, takes place in Pasadena on January 1, unless January 1 falls on a Sunday. In that case, the parade moves to January 2, following a longstanding rule designed to avoid conflicting with Sunday church services and related traditions.
The event began in 1890, organized by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. Its floats are famous for using natural materials such as flowers, seeds, bark, and other plant matter. Marching bands and equestrian units are also central parts of the procession.
The Rose Parade is not a New Year’s Eve event: it occurs the next morning. It is closely linked to the holiday period because it follows the midnight celebrations and precedes the Rose Bowl college football game, which is traditionally played in Pasadena on the same day.