Sierra Madre Float, 2025 (Photo – Scott Harden)
The start of a new year means another Rose Parade celebration. Starting at 8:00 am on January 1, 2025, the iconic New Year’s celebration runs 5.5 miles down Colorado Blvd. and showcases marching bands, floral-decorated floats, and equestrian units.
By Christian Brewster
With over 900 volunteers, 30 operating committees, and 80,000 contributed hours, the Rose Parade is an event that Pasadena residents and visitors look forward to every year.
The theme, announced by President of the 2025 Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Ed Morales, was “Best Day Ever.” The goal was to celebrate “life’s best moments,” a sentiment that was fully captured through the packed stands, flamboyant and colorful floats, clear skies, and joyful energy that persisted throughout the parade’s runtime.
Opening with a bouncy musical number and a roaring flyby from a stealth bomber, the Rose Parade continued with multiple showcases of talent, like that of the Bulldog Marching Band, which decorated the streets with bright whites and reds, and the University of Oregon marching band, which adorned Colorado Blvd. with yellows and greens before their Rose Bowl game against Ohio State University.
Hundreds of thousands of people attended the event, with many camping out the night before, and millions more watching at home via livestreams and news coverage. The parade proved to be a wonderful start to the New Year, one that emphasized what Morales wanted to convey: cherishing the unexpected good.
Arriving early, Jan. 1, 2025 (Photo – Scott Harden)
The Mid-Parade Performance presented by Visit Mississippi honors “Two Kings” – Elvis Presley and B.B. King – with tributes to their 90th and 100th birthdays (Photo – Rose Parade)
Rotary Float 2025 (Photo – Christian Brewster)
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