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2d ago

Rose Parade Pushes Through Rare Rain, Honors Fire Survivors and Reaches New Audiences

Wet-weather contingencies kept the 137th edition moving safely, underscoring Pasadena’s recovery from the 2025 fires.

Roses sit on a Honda vehicle during the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 1, 2025.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 31: Eaton Fire survivors (Center L to R) Ruben Rodriguez, Shimica Gaskins, and Gina Clayton-Johnson sit on the “Rising Together” Rose Parade float before float judging ahead of the Rose Parade on December 31, 2025 in Pasadena, California. The float honors the 13,000 families whose homes were lost and the 31 people who died in the 2025 L.A. wildfires. Survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires and volunteers worked on the float, which features a phoenix rising along with 31 sunflowers, which honor those who lost their lives. On New Year’s Day, eight fire survivors will ride in the Rose Parade on the float, which is co-sponsored by the California Community Foundation and the Black Freedom Fund. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
FILE - Marching bands perform along Colorado Blvd. in the 136th Rose Parade, in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
Confetti is released during a confetti test ahead of New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Overview

  • The National Weather Service forecast a near-100% chance of rain and possible thunderstorms, making this the first wet Rose Parade since 2006.
  • City and Tournament of Roses officials enforced no-umbrella rules, urged ponchos, activated Pasadena’s Emergency Operations Center, and staged tow trucks as delicate float details were protected and VIP convertibles ran with tops up.
  • A prominent “Rising Together” float paid tribute to Eaton and Palisades fire victims with 31 sunflowers and carried survivors, as organizers also set aside more than 1,000 grandstand tickets for those affected.
  • The parade expanded access with a first-ever TikTok LIVE stream alongside national TV broadcasts and continued with post-parade Floatfest viewings.
  • Despite lighter early turnout in the rain, the 5.5-mile procession featured roughly 39 floats, 19 bands, and 17 equestrian groups, led by Grand Marshal Earvin “Magic” Johnson under the theme “The Magic in Teamwork.”