130th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade was a great way to start off the 2019 New Year with my loved ones.
In 1890, the private Valley Hunt Club started the Tournament of Roses Parade to promote the Mediterranean of the west with the abundance of fresh flowers during the sunny winter months.
The Valley Hunt Club invited their friends from the East Coast to the West Coast to play several outdoor games such as tug of war, watch ostriches, camels and elephants races and chariot horse racing with carriages decorated with flowers.
In 1895, the Tournament of Roses Association was formed because the event became too large for the Valley Hunt Club to handle.
People from around the world attend the Tournament of Roses Parade for a total of approximately one million, including us!
We agree to meet at 8:00am so we can ride together in one vehicle to the parade.
As we walk along the parade route before the parade starts we notice hundreds of people that camped out overnight in the cold streets with blankets and fire pits to get the best view of the parade route.
We graciously accepted bench tickets with seat numbers and a parking pass from loved ones vacationing in Hawaii. 
Tickets for the Tournament of Roses Parade go on sale on February 1st for the following year. Tickets usually start at $40.00 to about $85.00 for approximately 70, 000 elevated grandstand seats.
We notice a Liquor Mart conveniently across the street from our bench seats packed with people ordering hot cups of coffee for $2.00 to stay warm under clear blue skies and sunshine in the low 40 degrees.
We finally make it to our seats after obtaining drinks and snacks from the Liquor Mart to watch the parade.
Souvenir seat cushions are sold for $15.00…
Souvenir program is sold for $10.00…
Pasadena police officers open the parade with Tournament of Roses and United States of America flags blowing in the wind on their motorcycles.
Chaka Khan was the Grand Marshal…
Kool & the Gang performed live on the Stella Rosa Wines “Taste the Magic” float…
I highly recommend attending the Tournament of Roses Parade at least once to bring in the New Year because it’s a totally different experience watching in person than on television.
The 24 Hour Fitness float reminded me it’s time to start going to the gym…lol