The Rose Parade is just around the corner and thousands of people are already preparing to flock to Pasadena for the New Year’s celebrations.

In its 136th year, the parade’s theme is “Best Day Ever” with tennis icon Billie Jean King as grand marshal. It starts at 8 a.m

Whether you’re camping the night before or heading out in the wee hours of the morning with blankets in tow, here’s what you need to know this year.

Parade details and closures

The Rose Parade route lasts two hours. The 5.5 mile route begins at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard.

The floats, bands and horses will travel north along Orange Grove at a slow but steady speed of 2.5 miles per hour before turning east onto Colorado Boulevard for most of the show. Then head north on Sierra Madre Boulevard and end at Villa Street.

Police and city officials will close the route to cars from 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

These include Colorado Boulevard from Orange Grove Boulevard to Sierra Madre Boulevard and Sierra Madre Boulevard to Paloma Street. So if you’re hosting viewing parties or a delivery is overdue, Tournament of Roses officials recommend telling everyone to arrive before closings begin Tuesday evening.

If you need to drive into or through downtown Pasadena, 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
• During the closure there will be a designated crossing for the north-south route (see map for details).

Please note: There will be one 5K race at midnight to celebrate the New Year from Pasadena Avenue to Hill Street. Several intersections will be closed to cross traffic at 11 p.m. on December 31 and will reopen at the end of the race, including Pasadena, Fair Oaks and Marengo avenues (see full list on map).

Tickets

You can still snap Grandstand tickets from $75 to $125 depending on where you want to sit. You must have your ticket on hand.

If you’re sitting on Orange Grove Boulevard between Colorado Boulevard and Green Street, it’s “highly recommended” to get there by 6:30 a.m., according to Visit Pasadena. If your spot is west of Fair Oaks Avenue, try to be seated by 7am. However, in both cases, you should arrive in the area at least 6 a.m. to have enough time to work your way through the crowds.

Roadside seating and camping

Roadside sitting is free, and many people set up shop and camp overnight, which is only allowed on December 31st. If you bring your children or teenagers, they must be with an adult during night hours.

You can grab your spot on the sidewalk starting December 31st at 12 p.m., but all your blankets and chairs must remain curbside until 11 p.m., at which point you can move a little closer to the blue “place of honor.” Line.” Tents, sofas, unoccupied chairs and boxes that can be used as stools or seats are not permitted on the route.

You can warm up using a small, raised grill, but it must be away from buildings and you must have a fire extinguisher on hand. Campfires and fireworks are prohibited, period.

Most importantly, don’t forget to drink water and keep warm (you can always sit on the extra jacket).

Park

Parking is not permitted on the parade route, but you can purchase reserved spaces. Pasadena recommendations include: Sharp seating, the city itself, LAZ parking lotAnd AP parking lot.

Public paid parking is also available near the parade route on a first-come, first-served basis, but numbers are limited (and it will be busy, to say the least), so plan ahead. For example, there are often paid or free parking spaces at subway stations. You can Check here before you go.

All parking meters are free and the time limit will not be enforced on New Year’s Day, meaning overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced until 2 a.m. on January 4th to the city. However, look out for red curbs, no parking signs, fire hydrants and driveways, standard restrictions still apply.

As our Sharon McNary wrote in 2021, “If there is traffic, YOU are the traffic.”

Public transportation

The easiest way is to take public transportation, and Metrolink is offering special early morning hours for the parade on the San Bernardino, Antelope Valley, Orange County, Ventura County and 91 Perris Valley lines.

Further information can be found here Here, or call (800) 371-5465.

You can also take the Metro L line (the Gold Line) to Pasadena. The nearest stops are:

• Del Mar Station (go 0.5 miles north to parade route)
• Memorial Park Station (0.2 mile walk south)
• Lake Station (0.4 mile walk south)
• Allen Station (0.4 mile walk south)

Metro will also have buses serving areas near the route and the Rose Bowl game, which you can find more information about Hereor call (323) 466-3876.

The agency is offering free rides from 4 a.m. Dec. 31 to 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.

In each of these areas along the parade route, there is a section with audio descriptions for the visually impaired and another with sign language interpreters.

Entrance tickets to all of these sightseeing areas are free! However, to request space you must complete the following a form here.

Please note: Seating is not provided so you will need to make your own arrangements.

There are also a limited number of wheelchair-accessible seats in the stands Sharp seating.

Rose Bowl game

Immediately following the parade is the Rose Bowl game, the oldest of all bowl games, dating back to 1902. On January 1, it begins at 1:00 p.m., but gates open at 11:30 a.m

Tickets for the Oregon vs. Ohio State game are still available on the Ticketmaster resale market. The cheapest options were available for around $235 at the time of publication, with the best seats going for up to $3,630. Oregon fans will be to the west and north, Ohio State fans will be to the east and south.

General parking is available in certain parking lots at the stadium. If you buy them, the parking cost is $59 in advanceor $70 on game day.

For public transportation, you can take the subway A line and get off at Memorial Park station. Then follow the signs to the Parsons Corporation shuttle area two blocks away, which will take you directly to the stadium for free.

If you plan to use a rideshare or taxi service, drop-off and pick-up at the stadium is not permitted. You will need to go to Holly Street between Fair Oaks and Raymond Avenue to take the shuttle or walk across.

Please note: The stadium has a clear bag policy, meaning backpacks, wallets and camera bags must be taken with you not allowed.

If you would like more information

If you would like more information, you can download the official Rose Parade app Here or Here. You can view the full line-up, tickets and get more information about the participants.

If you have ignored the rules and your car is towed on New Year’s Day, you can call (626) 577-6426 from December 31st at 5:00 p.m. to January 1st at 6:00 p.m.

And if you have questions about closures and access, you can call the visitor hotline at (877) 793-9911. The Tournament of Roses can also answer questions about resident parking permits at (626) 449-4100.