For the 136th time, Pasadena, California, hosts the Rose Parade. The colorful and glittering celebration marks the beginning of each year with flowers, floats, marching bands and performers from across the globe.
Also see: Our complete guide to the Rose Parade
A few things to know about this year’s parade:
- Starting around 8 a.m. local time, 24 marching bands, 16 equestrian groups and 39 floats decorated with an array of flowers will take part in the 5.5 mile parade route.
- Tennis legend and social justice icon Billie Jean King is the grand marshal. King attended high school about 30 miles south of Pasadena in Long Beach and is an alumna of nearby Cal State L.A.
- The theme for this year’s Rose Parade is “Best Day Ever!” It was selected by Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales and his family.
Also see: The Rose Parade Lineup: Your guide to every float, band and equestrian unit, in order
Our team of reporters and photographers is fanning out across the parade route to provide coverage you won’t see on TV. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter:
- Teresa Liu: @yinmengliu25
- Anissa Rivera: @AnissaRiv0901
- Steve Scauzillo: @stevscaz
- Mercedes Cannon-Tran: @MCannonTran
- Christina Merino: @christinam_love
- Tyler Evains: @TylerShaunE
We’ll be updating this story with reporting from the parade route throughout the morning:
Running into the New Year
Hours before the Rose Parade was set to roll, throngs of runners ran their way into 2025 For the second year in a row the Lululemon-sponsored “Run With the Roses” 5K was a sellout among runners, joggers and walkers. Along with participants, there were also hundreds of people in attendance that were already camped out along Colorado Avenue for the parade, who cheered the runners on fervently as they ran. There were many special reasons more than 2,500 people chose to start the new year with a midnight 5K run along the Tournament of Roses parade route in Pasadena, but for Alexandria Calopiz and Joe Isaac Becerra of Chino it was all about romance.
“I thought, ‘What better way to start off our wedding year than running a 5K when the ball drops,’” said Calopiz, who will wed Becerra on June 5, 2025. “What a way to start it — being active and just doing it together.”
7:10 a.m. Billie Jean King thrilled to serve as grand marshal
Was Billie Jean King thrilled to serve as Rose Parade grand marshal? You bet she was. It’s all about being a Southern California native, she said. “I am from Long Beach,” she said before the parade’s launch at the Tournament House. ” I went to Poly High,” she declared. “Our family, every Jan. 1 sat down to watch the Rose Parade together. This is special to me.”
The grand marshal, a sports icon and equal rights crusader, and her wife, Ilana Kloss, were about to step into a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III to roll into the parade.With 50 million people across the globe tuning in, she’ll take a 5.5-mile slow drive along Colorado Boulevard, waving to thousands in person gathered to watch the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade.
Also see: Billie Jean King’s path to grand marshal
6:45 a.m. Pasadena offers condolences after New Orleans tragedy, assures local visitors
The Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena responded to the tragic news that emerged from New Orleans in the hours before the parade was to begin.
A suspect who drove a vehicle at high speed into a crowd of revelers was killed after a firefight with police, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press. Ten people were killed and 30 were injured in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday along Bourbon Street.
The area is known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, and with crowds in the city ballooning in anticipation for the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game at the nearby Superdome later in the day.
“The Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans following this morning’s tragic events,” a statement said. “We stand in solidarity with the entire state during this difficult time.”
The statement efforted to assure visitors that all safety precautions has been taken at the parade. “The City of Pasadena undergoes months of preparations leading up to the Parade and Game in coordination with our Federal, State, County and Local partners,” the statement said. “We continually train throughout the year with our Tournament of Roses and Rose Bowl Stadium partners for various scenarios.”
The statement added: “The parade is a top level Federal event and we have to ability to call in additional resources if the need exists. “We have a hard shut down of vehicles along the entire Parade route in addition to very robust vehicle barriers at intersections. over 1,000 law enforcement personnel are working the Parade and Game.”
Also see: Ten killed, 30 injured after vehicle rammed into revelers in New Orleans
6:35 a.m. Rose Court greets guests at Tournament House
Resplendent in the gowns they will wear aboard their float, the Rose Court greeted guests and made media appearances at the Tournament House. The parade will also be presided over by the 106th Rose Queen —Westridge School senior Lindsay Charles — and the six members of her Rose Court:
— Lisette Parker, a senior at Maranatha High School;
— Saniyah Brunston, a senior at John Muir High School;
— Lara Georgian, a senior at Mayfield Senior School;
— Natalia Pradhan, a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School;
— Simone Ball, a senior at Arcadia High School; and
— Kate Kelly, a senior at La Cañada High School. Charles said her greatest joy in serving as queen was meeting scores of people in the past few weeks, especially the children.