The Rose Parade

California · New Year's Day · parade · flowers

Flowers everywhere. The Rose Parade features massive floats that are completely covered in real flowers, leaves, and plants. Designers spend months planning which blooms will create the most beautiful patterns and colors.

New Year's tradition. The parade happens every single year on January 1st in Pasadena, California, and has been going on since 1890. It kicks off the new year with celebration and excitement.

Epic street route. The parade mostly travels along Colorado Boulevard, one of the main streets in Pasadena. Hundreds of thousands of people camp out overnight to get the best spots to watch.

Bands and performers. Along with the fancy floats, marching bands, horse-drawn carriages, and other performers make their way down the street. The whole thing is like a giant party celebrating the start of a new year.

Tournament name. The parade's official name is the Tournament of Roses Parade, because it started as a celebration of Pasadena's beautiful gardens and warm weather in January.