Crowds gathered along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena to watch the 136th Rose Parade on Wednesday morning.
The theme for this year was “Best Day Ever!”
Sports legend Billie Jean King served as grand marshal for the parade, which was kicked off with a performance by Kiesza and Aloe Blacc.
The parade featured 32 floats, 20 marching bands, and 16 equestrian groups, according to Pasadena Now.
The San Diego Zoo’s float received the parade’s top honor, the Sweepstakes Award. The zoo’s float featured Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, the Giant Pandas who came to the zoo back in August.
Other float winners included the City of Burbank, the Boys & Girls Club, Explore Louisiana, and ELKS U.S.A.
For some paradegoers, this year’s parade was their first.
“We came all the way from Mississippi to see the Jackson State band,” one woman told KNX News’ Jon Baird.
For some like Marcia from Laguna Niguel, the trip to the parade is an annual event.
“We've been coming for 38 years,” she told Baird. “My husband watched the parade when he was a kid and always wanted to live here, and so now we live here. So, we come every year to see the parade.”
There were also parade attendees who had been waiting overnight. One woman told Baird she and her family brought a fire pit to keep them warm while they waited.
“ We brought a fire pit to enjoy with the family, have some s'mores later on, right before we shut it down,” she said.
Hours before the parade, officials released a statement following an attack in New Orleans in which a driver struck a crowd, killing 10 people.
“The Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans following this morning’s tragic event,” the statement read. “We stand in solidarity with the entire state during this difficult time.”
Officials also ensured they were prepared to have additional resources on hand for the parade if necessary.
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“We have a hard shut down [sic] of vehicles along the entire Parade route in addition to very robust vehicle barriers at intersections,” the statement continued. “Over 1,000 law enforcement personnel are working the Parade and Game.”
Lisa Derderian, a spokesperson for the city of Pasadena, told KNX News that she felt confident in the security plans that were put in place.
“We prepare for things like this. We do have drills with our public safety partners with the Tournament of Roses, with the Rose Bowl stadium,” she said. “So, we have plans for scenarios like this and that's why we do have the robust vehicle barriers, why we do have the hard shutdown of vehicles along the parade route.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the Los Angeles Police Department was working with its federal partners in response to the attack in New Orleans.
"Local and regional law enforcement will remain vigilant at events in the L.A. region including the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl Game and other gatherings," she wrote. "Our city’s thoughts are with the families and communities impacted by this morning’s horrific incident."
Baird reported seeing barriers set across the street to prevent cars from going toward the parade.
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