visit Pasadena

The Beauty of the Rose Parade ~ Up Close!

Rose Parade
From this angle, you can appreciate how tall these floats can be!

An Adventure at the Rose Parade ~

Although unseasonable cool, the grey skies did not dampen the colorful beauty of the Tournament of Roses Parade! There were exactly 41 floats, 19 marching bands and 20 equestrian units happily marching 5.5 miles down Colorado Blvd.

Through some close friends, we were able to get a pass which allowed us to park about a 1/2 block from the staging area in front of the Tournament of Roses House. Setting our alarms for 5:30am we raised our sleepy bodies up and out the door in order to see these magnificent floats up close. It was so worth it! I thought you might like to see what we experienced!

Rose Parade

Rose Parade
The Queen and Court Float awaiting the regal riders!

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An Inside Look & Rose Parade Float Building Adventure!

Rose Parade
Lisa and I standing in front of the float. They are building it under a freeway overpass.

Do you love a Rose Parade float as much as I do?

Have you been to the Tournament of Roses Parade? Have you ever considered sleeping on the icy cold sidewalk overnight in order to save your place to watch the Parade? I did that in junior high, that is for die-hard fans and so admirable. The parade route is quite festive on New Year’s Eve, because people are camped out in their sleeping bags right there on the curb in order to get a front-row spot for the parade.

The floats in the parade have evolved through the years into BIG business. Heavy hitter sponsors and large corporations spend hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to have a float built. There are still plenty of small private groups too that enter a float and the variety of ornamentation and design make the parade quite exciting.

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Where to Eat in Pasadena ~ The Best Restaurants and Bars

Where to eat in Pasadena

Are you coming to Pasadena anytime soon? Is your favorite college team in the Rose Bowl? Are you up to your knees in snow, icy wind and rain? Do you long for winter temps in the 70’s? What? Yes, the 70’s.

Where to eat in Pasadena

Yes, my friend it is so. The winters are mostly sunny and mild, with no humidity, the mountains are lovely and it is only a short drive to the gorgeous beaches of So Cal. However, we do have plenty of people living here, so just a visit, ok?

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