Your last-minute guide to the 2026 Rose Parade ...Middle East

When listing Southern California’s enduring traditions, you’ve got to start in Pasadena, that little city with the international brand.

The Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game boasts an affirming, though spectacular sameness each years — the striking colors of a bazillion posy petals, a packed house jammed into an historic stadium to see the nation’s best in college football and those telltale, Chamber of Commerce skies on TV, making deeply jealous all those folks on a break from shoveling snow off their driveways.

But this year is different. It truly is.

“Last year’s parade theme was ‘Best Day Ever!’ and six days later it was the worst,” said Lisa Derderian, spokesperson for the city of Pasadena.

The roses arrive just shy of a year from when the region was quite literally ablaze. As the new year dawns three-hundred-sixty-some days from the mammoth Eaton and Palisades wildfires, the Tournament of Roses will pause to mourn those lost, pay tribute to the survivors and thank the first responders who braved the deadly flames.

This year, there’s also a very different weather forecast on the horizon. For the first time in two decades, the atmospheric condition whose name shall not be spoken is right there in big type on the National Weather Service forecast. Yup, rain.

“We try not to say that word around here,” joked Candy Carlson, spokesperson for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, adding that it has rained a mere 10 times in parade history.

In Pasadena, one strategy is clear: Hope hard and don’t say the R word. All they need, after all, is two dry hours while the world watches, right?

One more change this year is more subtle and it’s been years in the making: The big game.

The shifts are subtle yet seismic. The Pac-12 football conference, the once proud host of the game, has largely dissolved as such defining West Coast teams as USC and UCLA packed up and moved to the Big 10. The guaranteed matchup between to the two power conferences is also no longer assured, as the match represents a branch in the bracket of the College Football Playoff. That’s forced local officials to grapple with jolts to their revenue and control.

Still, the Granddaddy of Them All still gets to host a match that promises to be a whale of a game as top-ranked Indiana vs. traditional titan Alabama.

And, oh yes, one more change: The game starts an hour early this year, at 1 p.m.

With all that in mind, we present this year’s last-minute guide to the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl:

Coming up Roses, Coming down in Buckets? OK, let’s hope not.

But as of Dec. 30, the forecast for Pasadena on Jan. 1 called for an 85% chance of rain and temperatures in the lower 50s in the morning.

“Light rain will gradually increase across the area (Tuesday night) and Wednesday,” according to the NWS. “The peak of the rainfall in the short term will be Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon with a lingering shower threat Thursday night and Friday.

“Totals through New Year’s Day will generally range from 0.75 to 2.50 inches across coastal and valley areas with 2.00-5.50 inches across the foothills and mountains. An additional 0.10-0.50 is likely on Friday with the lingering shower threat.”

Rainfall rates are expected to remain relative low, in the quarter- to half-inch per hour range, but localized thunderstorms could push that rate as high as one inch per hour, forecasters said.

Given last week’s storms that saturated the ground in many areas, authorities again warned of possible mud and debris flows from the upcoming rain. The National Weather Service issued flood watches covering much of Los Angeles County and Orange County coastal and inland areas for Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.

But Team Rose says they are ready.

Rare wet weather is unlikely to keep floats, marching bands, entertainers and others from participating. Carlson said people riding on floats will have rain gear if necessary, and tow trucks will be standing by in case of mechanical problems.

Spectators will need to prepare, too. Umbrellas are not allowed in parade seating areas that require tickets, though the ban doesn’t cover people who simply line up along the nearly six-mile route. Curbside camping — no tents — began at noon Wednesday and showers greeted the festive squatters.

The inclement weather makes the next item even more vital this year:

Public transit blooms in the rain. With so many streets closed and parking spots scarce and those that are available are at premium prices, LA Metro offers transit options for attending the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl, and other parade-related events. Add to that traffic likely to be gnarly if it rains.

The main line with six stations in Pasadena is the A Line light-rail, which runs from Long Beach to Pomona. The A Line also has six stations in Downtown L.A., where it connects with the B Line, D Line and E Line trains, as well as the J Line bus.

From the A Line’s Del Mar Station, riders should walk 0.3 miles north on Raymond Avenue to the parade route on Colorado Boulevard. Or, if you want to catch the beginning and see the floats lining up, that’s an 0.8-mile walk to Green street and Orange Grove Boulevard. Parade starts at 8 a.m. sharp.

To catch the middle of the parade route, exit the train at the Memorial Park Station. It’s only a 0.2-mile walk south on Arroyo Parkway to Colorado Boulevard.

From the Lake Station (Lake Avenue at the 210 Freeway), walk south on Lake Avenue about 0.4 miles to the parade on Colorado Boulevard.

Allen Station: Walk 0.4 miles south on Allen Avenue to the parade route.

If you’re coming to Pasadena from Orange County or the Inland Empire:

From the IE: Metrolink or Amtrak to Union Station, and from there the A Line.

Need more on public transit options? Check them out here and on Metro’s website.

You can also find a list of street closures on our website.

Going in person? Get there early and behave yourself. You can camp overnight on Wednesday to snag a free seat, but secure it with blankets and chairs only after 11 p.m. or you may see it removed.

Stay behind the blue “Honor Line,” for your own safety.

Don’t even think about bringing alcohol, weapons and big clumsy stuff like tents, sofas and chairs without someone’s posterior consistently poised in it.

And respect the rules, dude: No bonfires. No fireworks. No drones. Leave Rover and Kitty and home. And don’t block any public walkways. Be polite, you can expect to be searched. And stay out of the street.

Dress warm. Even if the raid stays away, it’s gonna be chilly. Bring coats, hats, gloves and hope.

Staying home? Save us some cocoa. Crank up the electric blanket and crank up the volume.

You’ve got a ton of viewing options, topped by traditional local stalwart KTLA. ABC, CNN, Fox  and NBC will also air the parade live.

The 137th Rose Parade will be streamed in its entirety on eight platforms – Christmas Plus, Dooya, FanDuel Sports Network, Fubo, GFam+, Great American Pure Flix, Pluto TV and Samsung TV Plus – making it easier than ever for audiences to enjoy the parade, according to a press release. People can also watch the livestream on the Tournament of Roses’ YouTube channel.

Overslept? No problemo. KTLA will air the parade all day. And live streams will remain available through Jan. 14, on most platforms and up to one year on some.

Topping the bill? It’s Magic. When 2026 Tournament of Roses President Mark Leavens nailed down his theme of “The Magic in Teamwork,” it wasn’t hard to figure out who was his top choice to be grand marshal.

He snagged his No. 1 pick. NBA legend, businessman, sports-team owner and social activist Earvin “Magic” Johnson said yes quicker than he’d fire off an alley-oop pass in his prime.

Johnson also will serve as emcee, kicking off the 137th Rose Parade opening at about 8 a.m.by introducing singer Bishop Briggs performing her platinum-selling anthem “River” and another hit, “Champion.”

Want more music? Yup, there’s more.

At the parade’s midpoint, 19-year-old John Foster, last season’s American Idol runner-up, will perform atop the Explore Louisiana float.

Performing in the Rose Parade Grand Finale is Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling artist Capital Cities, who will sing their hit “Safe and Sound.” They’ll be joined by DEK of Hearts, America’s newly crowned Mic Drop winner on NBC’s “The Voice.”

Oh, and you can expect the world’s best marching bands showing off their brassy best chop.

There will be time to reflect on the fires. While there will be the usual array of pampas grass, Vanda orchids, moving meadows and animated comical critters, there will also be touching tributes to local communities scarred by last January’s massive wildfires.

One in particular: Survivors of the Palisades and Eaton fires have been working for days on “Rising Together,” co-sponsored by the California Community Foundation and the Black Freedom Fund. The float pays tributed to the the 13,000 families who lost their homes — and the enduring resilience of the region.

It’s not the day’s only such tribute. First responders will also be honored, among others. Also, more than 1,000 free grandstand-seating tickets were offered to residents impacted by fires, along with thousands of tickets to the post-parade float viewing event, Floatfest.

Tournament officials said a limited number of free tickets to the Rose Bowl Game, Equestfest, Bandfest and Decorating Places were also made available.

In the end, it’s all about the power of the petals. As always, fans are fired up about the floats.

Among those getting plenty of pre-parade buzz, watch for:

–The USS Enterprise, botanically built, atop the float marking Star Trek’s 60th anniversary;

Hence then, the article about your last minute guide to the 2026 rose parade was published today ( Wednesday 31/12/2025 - 04:29 AM ) and is available on Los Angeles Daily News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.

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