Rose Parade News
Rose Parade News
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords
Selected As 2023 Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal
“Almost all of us have the luxury to face our challenges in private and many of us also have the freedom to overcome or heal on our own timeline. But when one has no choice but to be both vulnerable and strong in public, with the whole nation watching, that calls for a special brand of bravery and that is why Gabby Giffords is the perfect example of how to turn the corner.”
The announcement was a celebratory event on the front steps of Tournament House in Pasadena, 80 days before the Rose Bowl Game and Rose Parade presented by Honda, both on January 2, 2023.
“It’s a tremendous honor to serve as the Grand Marshal of the 134th Rose Parade. I love the theme of ‘turning the corner’—the idea that we all can make a conscious decision to go in a different direction, towards something better,” said Giffords. “This philosophy of moving ahead is one that I’ve tried to embody both in my personal journey of recovery since being shot in 2011 and in the fight for gun violence prevention that has become my life’s work.”
Throughout her life, Gabby has sought to improve her community and country by using her extraordinary ability to bring people together to focus on how we can make things better. This trait has made her a powerful public figure in this moment and inspires people every day to take actions of their own to make a difference. Gabby served her home state as a member of the Arizona legislature and then as a Member of Congress. As the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate and a trailblazer in other offices, Gabby represented her community in the Arizona legislature from 2000 to 2005, and then in Congress from 2006 to 2012.
On January 8, 2011, at a “Congress On Your Corner” constituent event in Tucson, Gabby was shot in the head by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. Gabby stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. As the nation’s eyes were upon her, Gabby embarked on a path to regain her ability to speak and walk, inspiring the country with her resilience and optimistic spirit.
According to Gabby, “The idea of ‘turning the corner’ also resonates from a national perspective. Our country has faced multiple years of a deadly pandemic and political rancor. Yet medical advances and bipartisan compromise have helped us to take steps towards a better future, even if these steps aren’t always as quick or as sure as we would like them to be, but I’ve learned the importance of incremental progress—and that progress starts with having the courage to hope, and then to act on that hope.”
In 2013, after the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, Gabby co-founded the organization today known as Giffords. Over the past several years, the organization has been a leader in the national gun safety movement, making gun safety a kitchen table issue for voters. Giffords has helped gun safety champions win up and down the ballot in local, state, and federal races and worked hard to pass lifesaving legislation in states across the country and at the federal level. This summer, Gabby was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, a documentary from the filmmakers behind RBG, premiered this year and is now available to stream at home on demand.
“I’m extremely grateful to follow in the footsteps of the many distinguished grand marshals in the Parade’s history and to blaze my own path forward. Thank you so much to Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott and to the Board of Directors for this privilege, and I look forward to being at the Parade on January 2nd.”
Pasadena Tournament of Roses Announces 2023 Royal Court
Presented by Citizens Business Bank
Members of the 2023 Royal Court will serve as ambassadors of the Tournament of Roses, the Pasadena community and the greater Los Angeles area, and will each receive a $7,500 educational scholarship. The selected young ladies exemplify character, service and leadership modeled through their commitment to family, school and community.
Applicants from 30 Pasadena area schools participated in the interview process, and volunteer members of the Tournament of Roses’ Queen and Court Committee selected the Royal Court based on several criteria, including public speaking ability, academic achievement, youth leadership, and community and school involvement.
The Announcement and Coronation of the 104th Rose Queen and presentation of the 2023 Royal Court presented by Citizens Business Bank will be held on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, on the front lawn of Tournament House.
The Rose Queen® and Royal Court are iconic traditions, steeped in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses’ history and continue as a treasured legacy. Royal Court members experience countless benefits; becoming part of an organization dedicated to hands-on volunteerism, discovering opportunities to connect with and give back to the local community, developing public speaking skills and growing self-confidence.
The 2023 Royal Court will ride down Colorado Blvd. on the Royal Court float in the 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda and attend the 109th Rose Bowl Game®, both on Monday, January 2, 2023.
The seven members of the 2023 Royal Court are (in alphabetical order): Salia Baligh, Bella Rose Yaeko Ballard, Michelle Cortez-Peralta, Adrian Crick, Zoë Denoncourt, Sahanna Rajinikanthan and Uma Wittenberg
Pasadena Tournament of Roses Announces 2023 Float Judges
This year’s judges bring unique perspectives on parades and floral presentations. Nicole is the Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena. Jennie was a four-time Executive Producer of the Rose Parade on broadcast partner KTLA and is currently Director of Programming at Boston Globe Media. Lois is the owner of Lois Hiranaga Floral Design, specializing in destination wedding florals, lobby & resort flowers, convention florals and private residence interiorscape.
Each year, three judges grant 24 float awards based on three categories: Float Design, Floral Presentation and Entertainment Value. The judges are looking for creative design and outstanding presentation of the theme matched with floral artistry and artistic excellence. The top award is the coveted Sweepstakes trophy, which is awarded for the most beautiful entry, encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment.
As the award-winning floats venture down the parade route, they are preceded by banners showcasing their award. The banners are carried by members of the Tournament of Roses Eagle Scout and Gold Award Girl Scout Troops.
On the morning of January 2, the award-winning floats will be announced on the front steps of Tournament House by the 2023 Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott. The 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda will begin at 8:00 AM/PST and will be broadcast in the United States and around the world to kick off America’s New Year Celebration®.
Equestrians Selected for 2023 Rose Parade
From the beginning, the Equestrian units have played an integral part in the Rose Parade. Equestrians participating will showcase a variety of horse breeds that entertain and highlight their majesty and poise. Each unit offers a variety of exceptional skills as well as unique costumes. In addition to riding in the five-and-a-half mile Rose Parade route on Monday, January 2, 2023, these equestrian groups are invited to take part in Equestfest on Friday, December 30, 2022, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. During Equestfest, groups perform their best tricks, drills, dancing and roping skills, and attendees can walk through the stables and meet and greet with the riders and horses.
The equestrian units make a lasting impression. This fantastic lineup of units will complement the floats and bands that will turn the corner of Orange Grove Blvd. and head down Colorado Blvd. during the 2023 Rose Parade presented by Honda.
2023 Rose Parade Equestrian units (listed alphabetically):
1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas)
Alameda County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse (Dublin, California)
Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team (Lake View Terrace, California)
Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri)
CA State Guard 26th Mounted Operations Detachment (Long Beach, California)
International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (Birmingham, Alabama)
Los Hermanos Banuelos (Altadena, California)
Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers (Citrus Heights, California)
Ramona, California’s Official State Outdoor Play Presented by the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre (Hemet, California)
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Unit (Nuevo, California)
Scripps Miramar Ranch (San Diego, California)
Spirit of the West Riders (Arcadia, California)
The New Buffalo Soldiers (Shadow Hills, California)
The Valley Hunt Club (Pasadena, California)
The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team (Norco, California)
United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard (Barstow, California)
Pasadena Tournament of Roses And Mansion Entertainment Group Announce 2023 Rose Parade Grand Finale Partnership
As the final float in the parade, it will provide a specially designed stage for an outstanding recording artist to be announced in the coming months.
“The collaboration with the Mansion Entertainment Group solidifies our commitment to bringing quality family entertainment to the Rose Parade.” said David Eads, Tournament of Roses Executive Director/CEO. “The relationship with their team has created an environment for creativity and the partnership will provide enjoyment of the Grand Finale for years to come.”
With its theme, “Turning The Corner,” the 2023 Rose Parade celebrates turning a corner. Whether that corner is actual—like the one at the famous turn, signaling the parade’s start, or figurative like the unlimited potential that each new year brings—we all enjoy the opportunity of a fresh start. Turning a corner means rising above – alone, or with family, friends and community, – it means realizing dreams and pursuing possibility. This year, as we turn the corner together, we share in the hope, beauty and joy of what 2023 will bring.
Pasadena Tournament of Roses®
Reveals Official 2023 Poster
In January, the Association announced it would conduct its first-ever design contest to create the theme poster. Overwhelmed with both the quantity and quality of entries in the contest, President Amy Wainscott was not able to select just one design, as the innovative ideas and creative concepts from across the United States and around the world far surpassed her expectations. The final artwork was inspired by eight design finalists and the primary contributor to the poster was selected as the winner of $1000 and a VIP Rose Parade guest package.
Congratulations to the 2023 Tournament of Roses poster design contest finalists: Winner – Valerie Roen, First Runner Up – Lisa Ng, Honorable Mentions: Amiya Krizenesky, Audrina Krizenesky, Kathleen Marsaro, Michael Mould, Min Seon and Khoa Vo.
Traditionally, the President unveils a poster when the theme is announced. This year, Wainscott did not reveal a poster, but instead announced the poster design contest.
“Whether that corner is actual—like the one at the famous turn, signaling the parade’s start, or figurative like the unlimited potential that each new year brings—we all enjoy the opportunity of a fresh start. Turning a corner means rising above – alone, or with family, friends and community, – it means realizing dreams and pursuing possibility,” said President Wainscott. “This year, as we turn the corner together, we share in the hope, beauty and joy of what 2023 will bring.”
Pasadena Tournament of Roses®
Announces Bands Marching in 2023 Rose Parade®
The bands will travel to Pasadena from across the United States and around the world, including China, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Panamá. Thousands of performers will enjoy the experience of a lifetime when they march down Orange Grove and Colorado Blvd. The 2023 Rose Parade will feature six new bands ready to become part of Rose Parade history, as well as several bands that have been Parade mainstays for decades.
For details on the bands, we invite you to visit: https://tournamentofroses.com/about/about-rose-parade/#participants
Bands are selected by the Association’s volunteer members based on a variety of criteria including, musicianship, marching ability and entertainment or special interest value.
Two bands will be added to the lineup when the universities participating in the 109th Rose Bowl Game are determined in December.
The 2023 Rose Parade bands are listed below, alphabetically.
| All Gifu Honor Green Band | Gifu, Japan |
| Banda de Música La Primavera | Santiago, Veraguas, Panamá |
| Brookwood Bronco Marching Band | Snellville, Ga. |
| Buhos Marching Band | Veracruz, Mexico |
| Foothills Falcon Band | Tucson, Ariz. |
| Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band | Fresno, Calif. |
| LAUSD All District High School Honor Band | Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Pasadena City College Herald Trumpets | Pasadena, Calif. |
| Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band | Pasadena, Calif. |
| The Pella Marching Dutch | Pella, Iowa |
| Rockford High School Marching Band | Rockford, Mich. |
| Rose Bowl Game Participating Team | Pac-12 University |
| Rose Bowl Game Participating Team | Big Ten University |
| Rosemount High School Marching Band | Rosemount, Minn. |
| The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band | Long Beach, Calif. |
| Spartan “Legion” Marching Band | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Taipei First Girls High School Marching Band, Honor Guard and Color Guard | Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China |
| Triuggio Marching Band | Triuggio, Monza and Brianza, Italy |
| United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego and Camp Pendleton, Calif. |
| Vista Ridge High School Ranger Marching Band | Cedar Park, Texas |
| Wisconsin Northwoods Marching Band | Minocqua, Wis. |
February Member Spotlight:
2023 Tournament of Roses® President, Amy Wainscott
I would describe myself as someone who never thought, in a million years, that I would be asked to describe myself to over 1,000 people. But in true Tournament fashion, here we are – outside of that comfort zone. I am a small-town girl who has lived most of her life in Southern California, but “Home” is Wisconsin (During the warm weather…). Optimism, tradition, family, and loyalty, listening to people. These are important to me; hearing people’s stories – everyone has a story worth hearing.
What Visions do you have for the New Year?
The 2023 theme celebrates our determined volunteers, committed staff members, float-building organizations, and all our other partners who take the world on this meticulous journey. “Turning the Corner” highlights our ability to rebound after an incredibly difficult time for our community, our country, and our world. Nothing we do is done alone. Teamwork, collaboration, and partnership are the keys to nearly everything we do in the Tournament, including turning the corner of Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevards. Let’s enjoy this opportunity to bring the world a fresh start.
Any advice for those wrapping up their first year as they continue?
I applaud each of our members who have just begun this wonderful journey. The Tournament journey, with so many turns, has a way of taking us all out of our comfort zone. We have faced and overcome tough situations, but after January 1st, you smiled, took a deep breath, and said, “That was fun. Let’s do it again!” I want to thank you for helping us get back on track. It is our volunteers that we teach, and then trust to get everything around the corner. We stand at the top of the year – for the rest of the world to be inspired by the ultimate gift of volunteerism. What a beautiful responsibility!
Any advice for those long-standing members as they look to another year?
Take a moment to reflect on your journey with Tournament and think about one person that ignited the spark that you sometimes need to appreciate what we do. It is that type of leadership and influence that has enabled this organization to be around and relevant for over 133 years. This is the spirit that drives our rich legacy of tradition. That spirit lives in each of us. So, my charge to you is to be the spark. Lead with the intent to empower our volunteers and partners to see the leaders within themselves. Remind them of the valuable part they will play in ensuring this beautiful spectacle that we call the Rose Parade continues to turn the corner for many years to come. Thank you for making this happen.
Amy Wainscott Elected President of
2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses®
The highlight of the evening was Wainscott’s announcement of the 2023 Rose Parade theme, “Turning The Corner” and the surprising news of a design contest for the 2023 Rose Parade poster.
“The 2023 theme celebrates turning a corner. Whether that corner is actual or figurative like the unlimited potential that each new year brings—we all enjoy the opportunity of a fresh start,” explained Wainscott. “Turning a corner means rising above – alone, or with family, friends and community. This year, as we turn the corner together, we share in the hope, beauty and joy of what 2023 will bring.”
Traditionally, the President unveils a poster when the theme is announced. This year, Wainscott did not reveal a poster but instead revealed that the 2023 Rose Parade poster will be created through a design contest. All are encouraged to apply, the contest begins January 21, 2022, and is open to everyone – young artists, students, past parade participants, international fans – all submissions will be accepted. Selected design will be used on the official 2023 Rose Parade poster, as well as in various other forms of event promotion.
2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses®
Announces Partnership with Avelo Airlines
Float and flower aficionados will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the design and engineering wonders from the 134th Rose Parade. The marvels are parked for Floatfest in Pasadena immediately following the conclusion of the parade on January 2 and will remain on display through January 3, 2023.
“We are so excited to partner with the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Parade,” said Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy. “Avelo is proud to have its first base at Hollywood-Burbank, with 18 routes ready to serve all customers looking to visit Southern California. The Tournament of Roses is the best way to begin the new year, and Avelo is happy to inspire travel to experience this great event.”
Both days of the Rose Parade Showcase will also feature live performances by local music groups, an array of food and beverage providers and interactive opportunities for visitors of all ages. The detailed craftsmanship is dazzling to behold, as is the aroma of floral and other natural materials from all over the world. “White Suiters” – volunteer members of the Tournament of Roses Association – will be on hand to assist patrons and answer questions.
Avelo became America’s first new scheduled airline in nearly 15 years when it initiated service on April 28, 2021, from its first base at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). The Avelo culture is grounded in a “One Crew” mindset that promotes teamwork, kindness and, above all, doing the right thing by caring for one another and owning their commitments.
2023 Rose Bowl Game® will be the
109th Edition of the “Granddaddy of Them All”
The selection process for the Rose Bowl Game has, in a sense, gotten easier in the College Football Playoff (CFP) era. In what is known as a “traditional” Rose Bowl Game year, the Rose Bowl Game is contractually obligated to feature the Pac-12 Conference Champion and the Big Ten Conference Champion. The contract, known as a tri-party agreement, is between the Tournament of Roses, Big Ten, and Pac-12. It is the longest consecutive bowl and conference agreement in college football, dating back to 1946, and was first executed in the 1947 Rose Bowl Game.
In both the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and now in the CFP, if Pac-12 or Big Ten Conference Champion is selected to the National Championship or National Semifinals, that team is released to play in that game and the Tournament of Roses selects a replacement team.
In the past, the Tournament of Roses selected replacement teams like the University of Oklahoma (2003), University of Texas (2005, 2006), or Texas Christian University (2010) to play in the Rose Bowl Game. Now, however, in the CFP-system, the Tournament of Roses may only select a replacement team from its partner conferences (Big Ten and Pac-12).
Should a team from the Big Ten or Pac-12 be selected to play in the College Football Playoff, the Tournament of Roses will traditionally select the next-highest CFP-ranked team from that conference.
The Rose Bowl Stadium was designed in 1921 and construction began in February 1922. The stadium was completed in October 1922 and hosted its first Granddaddy of Them All on January 1, 1923. Prior to playing the bowl game at the Rose Bowl Stadium, the Tournament of Roses East-West Football Game was played at Tournament Park, located on the campus of Cal Tech.
