This California town celebrates the start of the new year—and the many college football bowls—with a parade.
by Rich Watson
New Year’s Day, for over a century, has been for “bowl games,” college football matchups at the end of the season that lead to a national championship for the winner.
The Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, California, is one of the most prestigious. Before the game, however, audiences enjoy the spectacle of the Rose Parade.
Bowl-ing for championships
Bowl games were on TV, and TV said they meant something, so I watched them as a kid. Never had a dog in the hunt; I just rooted for an entertaining game and anticipated the halftime shows.
In recent years, a concerted effort has been made to better determine a champion through the bowls. Seeds are selected for the playoffs and don’t change. Then, twelve teams compete in a playoff at different bowl sites until the title match. This season it’ll be held January 19 in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
The Rose Bowl is one of the sites, along with:
- Cotton Bowl, in Dallas,
- Orange Bowl, in Miami,
- Sugar Bowl, in New Orleans,
- Fiesta Bowl, in Phoenix, and
- Peach Bowl, in Atlanta.
I have to say, this system makes more sense, although it hasn’t functioned without problems.
As for the Parade, ABC is the official network of the parade, but it can be seen elsewhere, on TV and the internet, in multiple languages. It’s always on the First, unless that falls on a Sunday; then it’s moved to the Second. There was no Parade in 2021; you can guess why.
The Parade starts at eight AM Pacific time. For seats in the grandstand, it’s a ticketed event, and it ain’t cheap—triple digits at the high end. More if you include parking.
What makes it worth the trip?
About Pasadena
Pasadena was incorporated in 1886, 15 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. In the language of the Chippewa, the word means valley. Migrants from Indiana came here during the winter of 1872-73 for warmer climes.
Route 66 goes through Pasadena, from San Bernardino to Colorado Boulevard and west to SR 110 and LA. The Colorado Street Bridge is a landmark and has appeared in lots of movies and TV shows.
The Eaton Canyon wildfires from the beginning of this year consumed over fourteen thousand acres in the Pasadena/Altadena area and killed seventeen, according to Pasadena Now. The Tournament of Roses Association has set up an emergency relief fund.
Famous people from Pasadena include Jackie Robinson, George Patton, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Julia Child and Alex & Eddie Van Halen. Also, a little old lady is notorious for her driving.
The Rose Parade
They also call it the Tournament of Roses Parade. It began in 1890 as a way to show off the city in winter. The Valley Hunt Club, a private social club, thought a warm-weather parade would be cool to read about for their friends on the east coast. According to Wikipedia, Pasadena highs in December are usually around 68. They do get snow—in February 2019 they had a blizzard of one inch!
The Club started the Parade with floats, bands and games and expanded. In 1895 the TofR Association was formed. Five years later the site on which the parade was held was re-named Tournament Park.
The Parade is 5.5 miles long, from Orange Grove Boulevard and then east onto Colorado Boulevard and north onto Sierra Madre Boulevard. TofR picks a theme each year. Floats have to be covered with flowers or some kind of natural material. In 2008 the float from Anaheim got away with an exception when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup the previous season.
An “Equestfest” prior to the Parade showcases horse riding teams. Bands come from all over the world. Pasadena City College puts on an official TofR Honor Band, plus they host a “Bandfest” before the Parade.
The Grand Marshal and the Rose Queen
Celebrities from all walks of life have been grand marshals of the Parade. Santa Monica native Shirley Temple did it once as a kid and twice as an adult. The 2026 choice will be Magic Johnson.
The Rose Queen is like being Miss America. The recipient of the title also gets six others to make up a Rose Court and they all ride in a special float. The 2026 Queen is named Serena Hui Guo, a senior at Arcadia High School.
Then, after the last float has cruised down the boulevard, comes the Rose Bowl.
About the Rose Bowl
Keith Jackson called the game “The Granddaddy of them all.” It started in 1902 as a way to help pay for the Parade. In the first one, Michigan embarrassed Stanford so badly, they quit after three quarters, losing 49-0.
Another wasn’t held until 1916.
The Rose Bowl Stadium opened in 1922. It seats 89,702 and uses grass. UCLA has played there since 1982. The Olympics will use it in 2028.
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Funny pop songs and musicians, beginning Wednesday, January 14 (we go back to Wednesdays again).
Happy new year.
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