The Rose Bowl Parade............So You Want To Come

I've lived in the Pasadena area for over 40 years, and have learned quite a bit about my little community. The Rose Parade is the highpoint of the city's year. Pasadena at one time was the home of the Oscars, which shared the honor of being one of Pasadena's premier events, however, since Los Angeles renovated Hollywood Blvd., the city lost that honor. Not to worry though we still have the Rose Bowl, now the home of UCLA football team, and the World Famous Rose Parade.

The Rose Parade is watched by untold millions, live, televised, and also Web cast, every January first. The estimation for the in-person attendance of the 2009 parade, was somewhere between 700,000 and 1,000,000. That's due in large part to the weather, for fifty years, between 1955 to 2005, the paraded boasted no rain. Then in 2006 the parade experienced not only rain, but winds of up to 45 mph(72 km/h). I remember that year, I was sure that the weatherman was wrong, but alas he wasn't. It rained, oh, how it rained! I suggest that you continually consult the Internet to see what the weatherman thinks the weather will be.

A vast majority of the estimated 1,000,000 parade attendees camp out on the parade route. Camping is permitted overnight, from noon New Year's Eve, (without a permit). However, camping is not permitted on Orangegrove Blvd. from Del Rosa to Colorado Blvd, and on Colorado Blvd from Orangegrove to Terrace. In this area only Grandstand seating is permitted. Grandstands are strategically place along the parade route. Tickets for some of these seats, can be obtained by calling Sharp Seating at (626) 795-4171. Parking can be a problem, so I've provided information on that, see below.

Reserved Parade parking for automobiles, buses and recreational vehicles is available through Sharp Seating Company, official seating company of the Tournament of Roses, (626) 795-4171 and the City of Pasadena, (626) 744-6470. You may also contact Easy Parking Service (626) 286-7576.

• No backpacks, coolers or large bags are allowed in the grandstands.
• No tents, ladders, scaffolding, sofas, or boxes of any kind are allowed
• Bonfires are not permitted.  Small, professionally built barbecues elevated about one foot off the ground are allowed.
  
• Nothing can be sold along the route without a permit.
• No person under 18 will be permitted along the parade route without a parent or guardian between 10pm and 5am.
• From noon until 11 pm the night before the parade all persons and their property must remain on the curb, at 11 pm spectators are allowed to  move out to the blue honor line.
  

The parade begins at a location commonly referred to by the locals as The Wrigley Mansion, so called because the mansion was at one time owned by William Wrigley Jr., the chewing gum magnate. However, today it is aptly named the Tournament House, the location for the home is South Orangegrove Blvd.

The parade begins at 8:00 a.m, and proceeds north until it reaches Colorado Blvd, it then turns right, heading east and from there the 5 1/2 mile parade takes 2 1/2 hours. Actually it takes 2 1/2 hours from any given point for the parade to pass. The cameras for televising the parade are positioned on three corners of Colorado Blvd and Orangegrove Blvd. That particular location is where the bulk of the activity is, and for about 2 to 3 miles the crowd is the thickest. At about the 4th mile the crowd begins to thin out, so if you want a better view I suggest you try to get a good spot in that vicinity. The parade ends at Sierra Madre and Villa Street, and there you can get a very good close up view, of the entire parade, as it's nearing the end.

Changing it up a bit. You might wonder how the Grand Marshall is chosen. They are picked for a relationship to the theme, the theme this year 2010, being "A Cut Above The Rest," ergo the reason Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is chosen. Just in case his name is not immediately recognized by all, he's the pilot that saved a plane load of passengers by landing his plane safely on the Hudson River in New York City, USA.

To participate in the decoration of a float, contact the float builders directly. I've provided their names and a few links. (See links below list).

• Charisma Floats
• Festival Artists Decorating Hotline (626) 388-1839
• Fiesta Parade Floats
• Phoenix Decorating Co.
• Studio Concepts
  

Self-built float organizations:

• Burbank Tournament of Roses Association
• Cal Poly Universities Pomona and San Luis Obispo
• Downey Rose Float Association
• La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association
• Sierra Madre Rose Float Association
• South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association P.O. Box 3662, So. Pasadena CA 91031
  

Honestly, if you're reading this article late December, I would venture to say that there is not an empty hotel, motel, etc within 30 miles. Of course with Pasadena's improved public transportation distance is not the problem that it use to be.  I've listed links to information about some suggested lodging locations anyway. However, if you are reading this anytime after the 2010 parade the field is wide open for at least 3 months. Click on links below for lodging suggestions.

So in conclusion, if you are coming to Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade, a little research should help you enjoy yourself.  I hope I've provided a little assist in this regard.  Even if you don't plan on an in person appearance you can always catch it on TV, or the Worldwide Web, either way have fun and enjoy the day.