For Gabriella, the idea of becoming a princess has always been more than a dream – it was a promise to her grandmother.
“She always used to call me her little princess, so it was always that, I want to live up to that role, I want to live up to that possibility,” she said, her voice a mix of excitement and nerves. “As soon as I heard of the Rose Court having a Court of six princesses and one queen, I was like, this is the perfect chance to get that experience.”
On Saturday, Gabriella, also known as applicant No. 179 from Flintridge Sacred Heart, and hundreds of others are taking their first steps toward that dream as the 2025 Rose Court begins their primary tryouts at the Tournament House in Pasadena.
Despite temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, the atmosphere at the first round of interview remained upbeat. Participants chatted and exchanged compliments on each other’s shoes and outfits while they waited for their turn.
The Tournament of Roses was prepared for the weather, moving the activities indoors and providing ice cream bars and cold water to keep everyone cool. Even dogs from the Pasadena Humane Society were on site to sooth nerves and bring some extra cheer to the day.
Each Rose Court hopeful had 15 seconds to respond to a question from a 10-member selection committee, said Tournament of Roses Spokesperson Candy Carlson.
After the first round, selected applicants will go through three additional rounds of interviews until around 25 finalists are chosen. These finalists will gather on Sept. 30, where seven will be named to the 2025 Rose Court. From those seven, a Rose Queen, or the “team captain”, will be crowned on Oct. 29, Carlson said.
Ultimately, they will ride as a Court in the parade on Jan. 1, but also engage in various ambassadorial duties in the lead-up to the parade.
“When selecting the Rose Court, we’re looking for applicants that have diverse strengths and perspectives,” Carlson said. “The Rose Court, we want to reflect our community, so the girls that are selected for the Rose Court will be well-rounded. Some may be athletic; some may excel in academics, but as a group, they will represent the greater Pasadena area.”
The Rose Court is steeped in tradition, dating back to 1905 when Hallie Woods was chosen as the first Rose Queen and rode in a horse drawn carriage down Colorado Boulevard in the Rose Parade,
In recent history, applicants have had to reside within the Pasadena Area Community College District and be a full-time resident and a senior in high school or enrolled as a full-time student (taking at least 12 units) in any accredited school or college. They must also identify as female, be at least 17 by Dec. 31 and not older than 21 before Jan. 5, with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
But this year, for the 136th parade, the Tournament has expanded its requirement for the applicant pool beyond the PCC District’s boundaries. Applicants from zip codes in San Gabriel and Alhambra as well as areas of El Sereno, Eagle Rock and Highland Park are now eligible to apply for the Rose Court.
The reason for the expansion? The Tournament wanted to include more people in the experience, said Carlson in an Aug. 28 interview.
“Even just the interview process is an experience,” Carlson said.
For Caricia, or applicant No. 139 from Alhambra High School, this expansion offered her an “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“I heard about it during class, and I was interested because I wanted to put myself out there,” she said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I didn’t want to pass it up.”
It’s still too early to gauge the number of applicants from the newly included areas, as the interview process is still in the preliminary stages, Carlson said. But she hoped more candidates from these regions will apply in the coming years as word spreads about the advantages of being part of the Rose Court.
According to many candidates, one of the greatest benefits of the experience is the chance to meet new people and build lasting friendships.
“That is one of the biggest aspects for me, being able to meet people from the community, talking to them and being able to make a difference,” said Alissa, No.172 from Rosemead High School.
This was clear inside the mansion’s library, where applicants mingled with former Rose Court members who shared stories about bonding, learning from each other, and offering support to ease the nerves of the new candidates.
“There’s no right or wrong answer,” said Trinity Dela Cruz, a 2024 Royal Court member. “There’s nothing particular that they’re looking for other than who you truly are as a person. And so really, with your answers, let your personality shine through, because that’s what they’re looking for.”
Since the judging continues beyond Saturday, the Star-News agreed not to publish the applicants’ full names to preserve anonymity until the winners are selected.