What’s Open New Year’s Eve and Parade Day!

City of Alhambra Float, 2024 (Photo – Ezekiel Isbell)

When the Parade is over, it may take you longer to get home than it took to get to the Parade!

By Rena Kurlander

You can head to Floatfest, the ‘Rose Parade Showcase of Floats’ (Washington & Sierra Madre Blvd) to view the floats up close. You can head to the Rose Bowl area and enjoy pre-game activities. Or you can linger a bit in town and check out the taste and flavor of our city.

Here’s our advice on how to avoid the “After the Parade” traffic.

Right after the Parade!

As Pasadena streets will be fully packed, many businesses in the city will be open for a ‘bite and wait for traffic to die down’. Here’s a sample of what you might find:

• Green Street Village

This area (Catalina Ave. & Green St.) offers a feel of New York away from New York.

• Playhouse Village

This area (in and around El Molino & Colorado Blvd) boasts Landmark Pasadena, Great selections at Monopole Wine, Blaze Pizza, Arcade Lane, and Urth Cafe (Madison Ave & Colorado Blvd). Drive a bit beyond Lake Ave. and you’ll get to Hummus Labs at 950 E Colorado Blvd, Site 104 (mention our newspaper and get a 10% discount on your order).

• South Lake Ave

This area (in and around Del Mar & South Lake Ave.) has the British inspired Burlington Arcade and The Commons.

• Old Pasadena

This district has shopping, dining, bars and much more. You ask for it, we got it at Old Pasadena (some may still refer to it as “old town”). With many shops and bars we are confident that you will find something to occupy your time and have fun.

Here's a partial list of what will be open on New Year's Eve and Parade Day:
- Dollar Skewers By Jumak
45 N Raymond Ave.
Open until 2:00 am on New Year's Eve and then after the Parade.
- Union street French Café
109 Union St.
Open New Year's Eve and after the parade.
- Commune Records
12 Holly St.
Open early on New Year's Day

• North Lake Ave toward Altadena

Go up on North Lake Avenue for more shops and make sure to check the Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena in the evening. (Christmas Tree Lane Model Railroad Society is open on New Year’s Day only).

• South Pasadena

If you’ve taken our advice and you parked on side streets, an alternative close-by city is South Pasadena. Their Mission Street is a friendly-pedestrian street (between Diamond Ave. and Meridian Ave).

When will traffic subside?

Usually traffic flow takes three to four hours to become normal again, so enjoy your stay and have fun. Life is too short to be spent stuck in traffic!

You’re advised to leave before the Rose Bowl game ends and traffic becomes crazy again.

Enjoy Pasadena!