Tournament of Roses Is A Popular Tradition For Many Families
The Well-Known Parade Attracts Tourists & Television Viewers Every Year
It’s hard to believe the Tournament of Roses started 120 years ago, in 1890. The southern California parade continues to be a modern, fun part of our nation’s history, from families camping out along the route for worthwhile spots to tourists visiting from all around the world to experience this amazing feat of flowers.
With so much history behind it, this parade has been a popular draw for generations. If you’ve been thinking, Now’s the time to scan my pictures of old parade memories to share with the kids, it is. As your children grow older, they become more appreciative of the bonds you build with them, such as going on a well-known outing like this. Take, for instance, this 1956 photo, shot more than four decades ago. The sign and stores may be different today, but the parade fans on the street are still experiencing the same emotions – perhaps joy in sharing the New Year with friends and family, and amazement at the creative floats on display.
The Tournament of Roses was started in Pasadena by the Valley Hunt Club, whose members sought to show off the region’s pleasant winter temperatures. Early parade features included ostrich races and a camel-and-elephant race. College football made a brief appearance in 1902, but it disappeared for more than a decade before reappearing again in 1916. The Rose Bowl stadium entered the picture in 1923.
Volunteers still play a role in creating many of today’s floats, but it probably wouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that many of them are now built by professional companies that specialize in just that task, and that the complicated process can take almost a year. The flowers and other natural materials used to create the floats are sourced from around the globe, and great advances have been made in float technology to include computerized animation.
Before another year goes by, take this moment to remind yourself, I need to scan my pictures to show to the little ones. Your family will thank you for the memories.