The Rose Parade is right around the corner, and thousands of people are already preparing to flock to Pasadena for the New Year’s Day festivities.
In its 136th year, the parade theme is “Best Day Ever,” with tennis icon Billie Jean King as the Grand Marshal. It kicks off at 8 a.m.
Whether you’ll be camping out the night before, or heading over with blankets in tow in the early morning hours, here’s what you need to know this year.
Parade details and closures
The Rose Parade route lasts two hours, with its 5.5-mile journey starting at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard.
The floats, bands, and horses will head north along Orange Grove at a slow but steady 2.5 mph before turning east onto Colorado Boulevard for a majority of the show. It’ll then head north onto Sierra Madre Boulevard, wrapping up at Villa Street.
Police and city officials will close the route to cars from 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, through 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1.
That includes Colorado Boulevard from Orange Grove Boulevard to Sierra Madre Boulevard, and Sierra Madre Boulevard to Paloma Street. So if you’ll be hosting viewing parties or are overdue for a delivery, Tournament of Roses officials recommend telling everyone to arrive before the closures kick in Tuesday night.
The 2025 Rose Parade closure map.
If you’ll need to drive to or through the downtown Pasadena area, you can use:
- Walnut Street or the 210 Freeway for east-west travel north of Colorado Boulevard
- Del Mar Boulevard or Cordova Street for east-west travel south of Colorado Boulevard
- There will be designated crossing for north-south travel during the closure (see map for details)
Please note: There will be a 5K race at midnight to celebrate the New Year from Pasadena Avenue to Hill Street. Several intersections will close to cross traffic at 11 p.m. Dec. 31 and re-open at the end of the race, including Pasadena, Fair Oaks, and Marengo avenues (see full list on map.)
Tickets
You can still snag grandstand tickets from $75 to $125, depending on where you want to sit. You’ll need to have your ticket handy.
The Rose Parade of 2022 represented a long-awaited return to Pasadena’s New Year’s tradition.
If you’re sitting on Orange Grove Boulevard between Colorado Boulevard and Green Street, it’s “highly recommended” you get there by 6:30 a.m, according to Visit Pasadena. If your spot is west of Fair Oaks Avenue, you should aim to be seated by 7 a.m., but you should arrive in the area by at least 6 a.m. either way to give yourself plenty of time to work through the crowds.
Curbside seating and camping
Curbside seating is free, and lots of people will set up shop and camp overnight, which is only allowed on Dec. 31. If you’ll be bringing your kids or teens along, they need to be with an adult during the overnight hours.
The 2025 Rose Parade public access map.
You can grab your sidewalk spot starting at 12 p.m. Dec. 31, but all your blankets and chairs have to stay on the curb until 11 p.m., at which point you’ll be able to move up a bit closer to the blue “honor-line.” Tents, sofas, unoccupied chairs, and boxes that can be used as stools or seats are not allowed along the route.
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You can warm up with a small elevated barbecue, but it needs to be away from buildings and you have to have a fire extinguisher available. Bonfires and fireworks are banned, period.
Most importantly, don’t forget to drink water and stay warm (you can always sit on that extra jacket).
Parking
There is no parking allowed on the parade route, but you can purchase reserved spots. Pasadena’s recommendations include Sharp Seating, the city itself, LAZ Parking, and AP Parking.
Public paid parking is also available on a first-come, first-serve basis near the parade route, but supply is limited (and it’ll be busy, to say the least) so plan ahead. Metro rail stations, for example, often have paid or free parking. You can check here before you head out.
Dancers perform during the Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
Michael Blackshire
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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All parking meters are free and time limits will not be enforced on New Year’s Day, and overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced until 2 a.m. Jan. 4, according to the city. But keep an eye out for red curbs, “No Parking” signs, fire hydrants, and driveways, the usual restrictions still apply.
As our Sharon McNary wrote in 2021 — “if there IS traffic, then YOU are the traffic.”
Public transportation
Public transit is the easiest way to go, and Metrolink will be offering special early morning hours on the San Bernardino, Antelope Valley, Orange County, Ventura County, and 91 Perris Valley lines for the parade.
You can find more information here, or by calling (800) 371-5465.
You can also take the Metro L Line (the Gold Line) to Pasadena. The closest stops are:
- Del Mar Station (walk .3 miles north to the parade route)
- Memorial Park Station (walk .2 miles south)
- Lake Station (walk .4 miles south)
- Allen Station (walk .4 miles south)
Metro will also have buses traveling to areas near the route and Rose Bowl game, which you can find more information on here, or by calling (323) 466-3876.
The agency is offering free rides from 4 a.m. Dec. 31 through 3 a.m. Jan. 1, and Metro bikes are free on Jan. 1 with the code “010125”.
Accessible viewing
Three street-level viewing areas are reserved for people with disabilities and up to four of their guests.
Each of those areas along the parade route will have a section with audio descriptions for visually impaired people and another with sign language interpreters.
Diane Gagnon among Rose Parade floats on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
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Los Angeles Times
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Tickets to all these viewing areas are free! But to request space, you’ll need to complete a form here.
Please note: no seats are provided, so you’ll need to bring your own arrangements.
There’s also limited wheelchair accessible grandstand seating sold through Sharp Seating.
Rose Bowl game
The Rose Bowl game, the oldest of bowls dating back to 1902, immediately follows the parade. It starts at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, but gates open at 11:30 a.m.
How to get to the Rose Bowl game.
Tickets are still available on the Ticketmaster resale market for the Oregon vs. Ohio State matchup. The cheapest options were going for around $235, with the best seats reaching up to $3,630 at the time of publication. Oregon fans will be in the west and north sections, with Ohio State fans in the east and south.
General parking is available in certain lots at the stadium, with spots going for $59 if you buy it in advance, or $70 on game day.
For public transportation, you can take the Metro A line and exit at the Memorial Park station. You’ll then want to follow the signs to the shuttle area at Parsons Corporation two blocks away, which will take you directly to the stadium for free.
If you’re planning to use a rideshare or taxi service, all drop-offs and pick-ups are not allowed at the stadium. You’ll need to head to Holly Street between Fair Oaks and Raymond avenues to catch the shuttle from there or walk over.
Please note: the stadium has a clear-bag policy, which means backpacks, purses, and camera cases are not allowed.
If you want more info
If you’re dying for more details, you can download the official Rose Parade app here or here. You’ll be able to see the full line-up, maps, and get more information about the participants.
If you skimmed over the rules and your car gets towed on New Year’s Day, you can call (626) 577-6426 from 5 p.m. Dec. 31 until 6 p.m. Jan. 1.
And if you have questions about closures and access, you can call the visitor hotline at (877) 793-9911. The Tournament of Roses will also be able to answer questions about resident parking passes at (626) 449-4100.
