Saturday, July 18, 2026

Question: The Rose Parade has drawn crowds to Pasadena nearly every New Year’s Day since 1890. What were its founders originally trying to show off?

Answer: California’s mild winter weather. Pasadena’s Valley Hunt Club, made up largely of former East Coast residents, wanted to show the world a place where flowers bloomed and oranges ripened in the dead of winter. The flower-covered carriages and games grew from there.