PASADENA — With thousands of people expected to descend on Pasadena to see the 135th Rose Parade on Monday, event organizers and city officials urged visitors to plan ahead and know the rules about camping and viewing the parade.
The parade, titled “Celebrating the World of Music,” will begin at 8 a.m. Monday for its traditional 5 1/2-mile march down Colorado Boulevard.
As usual, overnight camping along the route will only be permitted the evening before the parade, Sunday evening. People planning to camp can start claiming curbside spots starting at noon Sunday, but all people and property, such as blankets and chairs, must remain on the curb until 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., spectators can move to the blue “Line of Honour” on the street.
People planning to camp overnight for the parade should note the rules:
- Small, professionally made barbecues that are raised at least 1 foot off the ground are permitted along the route, but must be at least 25 feet from buildings and other combustible materials. A fire extinguisher should also be available.
- People under the age of 18 will only be allowed on the parade route from 10pm on Sunday until 5am on Monday if they are supervised by an adult.
- Parade goers should be prepared for cold weather and dress in layers.
- Tents, sofas or boxes that can be used as stools or seats are prohibited on the route.
- Lighting fires along the route is prohibited.
- No items may be sold along the route without a city permit.
- The sale of seats along the parade route is prohibited.
- Horns cannot be sold, gifted or bought en route.
- No public areas may be fenced off.
- Ladders or scaffolding that can be used to view the parade from a height are prohibited.
- Open containers of alcohol are prohibited on public streets and sidewalks and other public places.
Drones are also prohibited along the parade route. The “no-drone zone” mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration also covers flights over the Rose Bowl during a football game. Anyone who violates the drone ban can be arrested, prosecuted, jailed, and/or fined.
A complete list of parade rules is available online at https://www.cityofpasadena.net/city-manager/news/pasadena-fire-and-police-departments-issue-rose-parade-safety-tips-2023/.
As usual, security will be increased along the parade route and anyone breaking the law or creating a disturbance will be removed from the area. Parade spectators are asked to report any suspicious activity and call 911 in an emergency or call 626-744-4241 for non-emergencies.
Colorado Boulevard will be closed to traffic at 10:00 PM on Sunday and will remain closed until at least 2:00 PM on Monday following the parade and cleanup afterward. The closure will be in effect from Orange Grove Boulevard to Sierra Madre Boulevard and north on Sierra Madre to Paloma Street.
Various freeway ramps will be closed in the Pasadena area to control traffic Sunday evening through Monday afternoon. According to Caltrans, the following closures will be in effect:
- Westbound 210 Freeway Exit at Sierra Madre;
- East 210 off ramp at San Gabriel Boulevard;
- East 134 Freeway at Orange Grove Boulevard; and
- Westbound Freeway 134 on ramp at Orange Grove.
Parking in the area will be limited and often sells out early, so parade-goers were urged to take the subway or other public transportation to the event. Metro will be offering free tickets on all its bus and rail routes from 9pm Sunday to 2am Monday, and trains will be running all night on New Year’s Eve to welcome parade-goers. There are four subway A line stations located within a half mile of the parade route.
