129th Rose Parade rolls in Pasadena; see the list of float winners
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the street to watch 39 floats decked out with countless flowers, along with show horses, marching bands and celebrities. Millions more watched on TV.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC
The Sierra Madre float won the Fantasy Award at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
The Singpoli American BD float makes its way along the parade route at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. The float won the Sweepstakes Award.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
The Amazon Prime Original float is pushed along the parade route, winning the Crown City Innovator Award at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
The Kyoto Tachibana High School band, of Japan, performs at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
Rose Queen Isabella Marie Marez, top, and Princesses, clockwise from lower left, Georgia Jane Cervenka, Sydney Grace Pickering, Julianne Elise Lauenstein, Alexandra Marie Artura, Savannah Rose Bradley and Lauren Elizabeth Buehner ride on their float at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
The UPS Store, Inc. float makes its way along the parade route at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. The float won the Extraordinaire Award.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
Banda de Musica Heriberto Lopez, of Panama, performs in the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
With a nod of thanks to military veterans, marching bands and floral floats took to the streets under sunny California skies as the 129th Rose Parade drew hundreds of thousands of spectators on New Year's Day and millions more watched on TV.
The 129th annual parade got started Monday in Pasadena with an announcement by the grand marshal, actor Gary Sinise, and a military flyover.
Among the parade-goers lining the streets was South Pasadena resident Margarita Resendez, who told KPCC she has attended the Rose Parade for the past 17 years.
"This is a tradition for me," Resendez said. "I always come every year. It's the thrill, the blood rushing — it's exciting. It's beautiful, the flowers."
About 800,000 hours of manpower goes into producing the famous New Year's Day parade from start to finish.
The China Airlines float makes its way along the parade route and won the International Award at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
One of the 39 floats was an award-winning entry from China Airlines featuring a scuba diver floating above fish and a coral reef.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists Earth Wind and Fire performed atop a red and white float recreating the Forum, the famous Los Angeles-area arena celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The Trader Joe's float, which had fold back to get under the 210 Freeway at the end of the route, won the Showmanship Award.
There were blue skies with just a few wisps of clouds and temperatures were expected to reach the 70s after a chilly night.
It has rained only once on the Rose Parade in the past six decades — that was in 2006 — and it has never been canceled because of weather.
The theme of the 2018 parade is "Making a Difference" and Sinise was chosen to lead the proceedings because of his devotion to veteran's issues.
Grand Marshal Gary Sinise waves to the crowd at the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.
Michael Owen Baker/AP
Sinise, who played Vietnam vet Lt. Dan Taylor in 1994's "Forrest Gump," said when he was picked that he was happy to serve as grand marshal because of the vets he seeks to help.
"If shining a little spotlight on me on January first can shine a spotlight on them to help me make a difference in their lives, I am very, very grateful to do that," he said.
Veterans and family members of those killed in action appeared on some of the floats.
Spectators started lining the 3.5-mile route on Sunday, many of them camping on sidewalks and braving overnight temperatures in the low 40s.
Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said there were no known threats to the parade, but fan safety would remain first priority and security would be tight. No major problems were reported. There were a handful of arrests, mostly for public intoxication, police said.
The 104th Rose Bowl was scheduled later in the day just a few blocks away from the parade. The bowl will feature a College Football Playoff semifinal between Oklahoma and Georgia.
Rose Parade float winners
The Tournament of Roses on Monday announced the following award-winning floats:
Award
Description
Participant
Theme
Builder
Sweepstakes
Most beautiful entry: encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment
Singpoli American BD
Rising Above
Paradiso
Americana
Most outstanding depiction of national treasures and traditions
Farmers Insurance
Honoring Hometown Heroes
Phoenix
Animation
Most outstanding use of animation
Underground Service Alert of Southern California (DigAlert)
Making It Safe for All
Fiesta
Bob Hope Humor
Most whimsical and amusing float
La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association
Panda-Monium
Self-Built
Crown City Innovator
Most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology
The Grand Tour-An Amazon Prime Original
Make Your Own Momentum
Paradiso
Director
Most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Rose Float
Sacrifice to Serve
Phoenix
Extraordinaire Trophy
Most extraordinary float
The UPS Store, Inc.
Books Bring Dreams to Life
Paradiso
Fantasy
Most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association
Chivalry!
Self-Built
Founder
Most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization
Burbank Tournament of Roses Association
Sand-Sational Helpers
Self-Built
Golden State
Most outstanding depiction of life in California
City of Riverside
25th Annual Festival of Lights
Fiesta
Grand Marshal
Most outstanding creative concept and float design
Dole Packaged Foods
Sharing Nature's Bounty
Fiesta
International
Most outstanding float from outside the United States
China Airlines
Caring for Our Sea
AES
Isabella Coleman
Most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design
City of Hope
Transforming Lives with Hope
Phoenix
Judges
Most outstanding float design and dramatic impact
American Armenian Rose Float Association, Inc.
Armenian Roots
Phoenix
Leishman Public Spirit
Most outstanding floral presentation from a non-commercial participant
United Sikh Mission
Serving Kindness
Phoenix
Mayor
Most outstanding float from a participating city
City of Torrance
Protecting Nature...The Madrona Marsh Preserve
Fiesta
Past President
Most outstanding innovation in the use of floral and non-floral materials
Cal Poly Universities
Dreams Take Flight
Self-Built
President
Most outstanding use and presentation of flowers
Western Asset Management Company
Oceans of Possibility
Phoenix
Princess
Most outstanding floral presentation among entries 35 feet and under in length
Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee, Inc.
Planting the Seeds of Service
Phoenix
Queen
Most outstanding presentation of roses
Downey Rose Float Association
Working Together
Self-Built
Showmanship
Most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment
Trader Joe's
Hats Off
Phoenix
Theme
Most outstanding presentation of the Rose Parade Theme
Donate Life
The Gift of Time
Paradiso
Tournament Volunteer
Most outstanding floral presentation of the Rose Parade Theme among floats 35 feet and under in length