Probably the best and most popular parade of the entire year always comes on the first day of the year, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Almost always* held on New Year’s Day along with the Rose Bowl football game later in the afternoon, the Rose Parade is undoubtedly the most spectacular of all.
Neither photos nor tv pictures can do justice to the brilliant coloring and craftsmanship of the floats. Strictly-enforced rules require all materials used on the float designs to be natural plant products, mainly flower petals and various seeds and leaves. The parade route is also unusual in that it stretches for 5½ miles in length, traveling along Colorado Blvd. in downtown Pasadena.
Up until a few years ago, the worst part of the parade was trying to watch it on tv. The NBC network had the sole rights to it and they have always ruined (to use a mild word for it) the program by running an incessant stream of commercials and heavy plugging of their upcoming network shows. Along with that you get a constant babble from the announcers talking about themselves. As a result you only get to view about 1/3 of the floats and none of the bands except perhaps for a 5-second shot. Absolutely terrible and irresponsible coverage.
For the past few years though, some other networks have been permitted to broadcast the parade, too. Maybe the parade committee was fed up, too? I have been watching it on cable tv channel HGTV (formerly Home & Garden TV). Not only do they have sane people narrating the parade and telling you who’s going by, but in every year previously they have done it with NO commercials. You get to see every single parade entry. All the floats, bands, equestrian units and so on. I have checked the HGTV website and they are broadcasting the parade again this year. So that’s where I’ll be. I’m a little concerned, though. They are not touting the fact, as they have in the past, that it will be commercial-free. Let’s hope that they will continue the tradition and show us the entire parade again.
* The only time the parade and football game are held on Jan. 2 is when the 1st falls on a Sunday. The Tournament of Roses Committee’s official website explains how this practice began:
The Tournament of Roses is a tradition full of traditions, one of which is our “Never on Sunday” policy. In 1893, officials decided to move the parade to Monday, January 2 to avoid frightening horses tethered outside local churches and thus interfering with worship services. As a result of this reverent gesture, speculation abounds as to the rare instances of rainfall on New Year’s Day (only ten times in Rose Parade history), prompting some to ask the Tournament about its special pact with a “friend upstairs.” Also as a result of this tradition, other collegiate bowl organizations have instituted similar procedures.
Now you know. So let’s get the equipment checked out while I get the coffee started. Sunday schedule today. And Sunday means Photo Art day:
P.S. Winter officially arrives this morning. Oh, Boy. In my corner of the world it got here at 7:04 am. Good luck.
Recent Comments