Parade
The Tournament of Roses Parade has followed the same route mainly following Colorado Boulevard (Pasadena's main thoroughfare and a segment of the former US 66) for many decades. The day before the parade, the entire environs of the neighborhood streets south of the intersection of Orange Grove and Colorado Blvds. are sealed off and reserved for the marshaling of the dozens of floats, bands, equestrian units, and other elements. This staging area is referred to as the "Formation Area" and is managed by the Formation Area Committee.
On parade morning the various elements are merged and dispatched in front of Tournament House. The parade starts headed north on South Orange Grove Boulevard beginning at Ellis Street. At Colorado Boulevard it passes the main grandstands (and the main television and media stands) and proceeds east on Colorado Boulevard. The parade then turns north on Sierra Madre Boulevard. The floats then must travel under the Sierra Madre Boulevard/I-210 freeway overpass, requiring over-height floats to reduce their height. The parade ends at Paloma Street near Victory Park and Pasadena High School. Floats continue into the Post-Parade viewing area (which is open that afternoon and the following day). In total this route is 51⁄2 miles (8.9 km) long; the assembled bands, horse units, and floats take approximately 2 hours to pass by.
The 2010 parade saluted the men and women serving America throughout the world with a flyover at the beginning of the parade by four F-18 jets (performed by pilots of the Fighting Redcocks of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 (VFA-22) from the Naval Air Station at Lemoore, California).
The 2012 Rose Parade had 43 floats, 21 bands, and 18 equestrian units (with approximately 400 horses). The honor for being the last units in the parade went to All American Cowgirl Chicks (Equestrian), Needham Broughton High School (Band), and RFD-TV (Float).
The 2013 parade will feature 41 floats, 24 marching bands, and 21 equestrian units. New for the 2013 Rose Parade are floats from Nurses' float "A Healing Place", Delta Sigma Theta, and the City of San Gabriel centennial float "Celebrating Our Journey". It will begin with the Opening Show, Wells Fargo/Opening Unit, American Honda's float, the U.S. Marine Corps's Mounted Color Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band.
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Famous quotes containing the word parade:
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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