Pasadena Tournament of Roses

The Rose Parade, also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Parade presented by Honda, is part of "America's New Year Celebration" held in Pasadena, California each year on New Year's Day (or on Monday, January 2 if New Year's Day falls on a Sunday). The parade includes flower-covered floats, marching bands, and equestrian units and is followed by the Rose Bowl college football game. It is produced by the nonprofit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.

Originally started on January 1, 1890, the Rose Parade is watched in person by hundreds of thousands of spectators on the parade route, and is broadcast on multiple television networks in the United States. It is seen by millions more on television worldwide in more than 100 international territories and countries. The Rose Bowl is a college football game that was added in 1902 to help fund the cost of staging the parade. Since 2011, the parade has been sponsored by Honda. Accordingly, the company has the parade's first float, which like all floats, follows the parade's theme.

The 2017 parade featured 44 floats, 19 equestrian units with approximately 400 horses, and 22 marching bands. The Grand Marshals of the parade were Greg Louganis, Janet Evans and Allyson Felix.

Members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club first staged the parade in 1890. Since then the parade has been held in Pasadena every New Year's Day, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday. In that case, it is held on the subsequent Monday, January 2. This exception was instituted in 1893, as organizers did not wish to disturb horses hitched outside Sunday church services.

Many of the members of the Valley Hunt Club were former residents of the American East and Midwest. They wished to showcase their new California home's mild winter weather. At a club meeting, Professor Charles F. Holder announced, "In New York, people are buried in the snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."

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Wikipedia