The Brief

For more than a century, the Rose Parade has delighted audiences across Southern California with its colorful, elaborate floats and fanfare.

The parade will celebrate its 137th year when floats begin traveling through Pasadena at 8 a.m. Jan. 1, 2026. This year's theme is "Magic in Teamwork," and Magic Johnson is the Grand Marshal.

This year, for the first time in two decades, rain appears to be highly likely on parade day. Rain conditions are rare for the legendary parade.

Showing off SoCal weather, in fact, was one of the main drivers of the parade's creation.

As the Pasadena Tournament of Roses website recounts, Charles F. Holder led Valley Hunt Club members in creating the parade in 1890, saying: “In New York, people are buried in snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise.”

Here are photos from some of the Rose Parades past, with details about key participants — from movie and music stars to sports legends to real-life heroes, and a even a couple of fictional characters:

1939

Theme: "Golden Memories"

Burbank's 1939 Rose Parade float was titled "Tally-Ho of 1889," calling back to horse drawn wagons popular in the early years of the parade. 1939 was the 50th anniversary of the parade.

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Herman J. Schultheis

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Los Angeles Photographers Collection

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Key people:

• Lathrop K. Leishman, President
• Shirley Temple, Grand Marshal
• Barbara Dougall, Rose Queen

1946

Theme: "Victory, Unity & Peace"

'Winged Victory' leads the floats in the 1946 Rose Parade, just behindis the 'Dawn of Peace' float carrying the Rose Parade Queen and her court.

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Security Pacific National Bank Collection

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L.A. Public Library

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Key people:

• Charles A. Strutt, President
• Admiral William F. Halsey, Grand Marshal
• Patricia Auman, Rose Queen

1960

Theme: "Tall Tales and True"

Glendale's entry in the 1960 Rose Parade honored the "pioneer spirit" and took home the governor's trophy.

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Valley Times collection

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L.A. Public Library

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Key people:

• Raymond A. Dorn, President
• Vice President Richard M. Nixon, Grand Marshal
• Margarethe Bertelson, Rose Queen

1975

Theme: "Heritage of America"

Baseball player Hank Aaron waves to the crowd as grand marshal of the 1975 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, Jan. 1, 1975. Riding with him in the open car is his wife, Billye.

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AP

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Key people:

• Carl H. Hoelscher, President
• Paul G. Bryan, President
• Henry L. "Hank" Aaron, Grand Marshal
• Robin Carr, Rose Queen

1982

Theme: "Friends And Neighbors"

Actor Jimmy Stewart, grand marshal of the 93rd Tournament of Roses Parade, waves to the crowd as he's accompanied by his wife, Gloria, Jan. 1, 1982.

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Reed Saxon

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AP

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Key people:

• Harold E. Coombes Jr., President
• Jimmy Stewart, Grand Marshall
• Kathryn Potthast, Rose Queen

1990

Theme: "A World of Harmony"

Zsa Zsa Gabor rides her Tennessee walking horse Silver Fox in the 101st Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 1990. The appearance of the famous cop-slapper angered many spectators, who booed loudly as she rode by.

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Douglas C. Pizac

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AP

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Key people:

• Don W. Fedde, President
• Sen. John Glenn, Grand Marshal
• Yasmine Delawari, Rose Queen

1996

Theme: "Kids' Laughter & Dreams"

Kailey Zelek 9, left, Emily Parris 14, center, and Katie Dennis 10, sell 'Kermit the Frog' puppets to bystanders along the Rose Parade route in Pasadena, Jan. 1, 1996. Kermit the Frog is the first non-human to be named Grand Marshal alone.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Left to right, supermodels Kathy Ireland, Vendela and Naomi Campbell wave to the crowd while riding on a float based on the children's fable, "Jack and the Beanstalk" during the 107th Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1, 1996.

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John T. Barr

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AFP via Getty Images

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Key people:

• W.H. Griest Jr., President
• Kermit the Frog, Grand Marshal
• Keli Hutchins, Rose Queen

1997

Theme: "Life's Shining Moments"

The California State PTA "The Field Trip" float makes its way down the parade route during the 108th Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Key people:

• William S. Johnstone Jr., President
• Carl Lewis, Grand Marshal
• Shannon Miller, Grand Marshal
• Jennifer Halferty, Rose Queen

1999

Theme: "Echoes of the Century"

The Florists' Transworld Delivery float, "Mother's Day," along with other floats and bands travel down the 110th Tournament of Roses Parade route on Jan. 1, 1999.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Four of the named Grand Marshals of the 1999 Tournament of Roses Parade, from left: astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Ray Bartlett, lifelong friend of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, film producer and documentarian David Wolper and actress Shirley Temple Black.

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Nick Ut

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AP

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Key people:

• Dick E. Ratli, President
• Buzz Aldrin, Grand Marshal
• Jackie Robinson, Grand Marshal (posthumously)
• Shirley Temple Black, Grand Marshal
• David L. Wolper, Grand Marshal
• Christina Farrell, Rose Queen

2000

Theme: "Celebrate 2000: Visions of the Future"

The 2000 Tournament of Roses Royal Court poses for a photo during a ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999. Sophia Bush, then 17, was crowned the 82nd Rose Queen and went on to a successful acting career.

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Nick Ut

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AP

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An entry in the parade.

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Scott Nelson

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AFP via Getty Images

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Key people:

• Kenneth H. Burrows, President
• Roy E. Disney, Grand Marshal
• Sophia Bush, Rose Queen

2002

Theme: "Good Times"

A giant motorcycle-riding Uncle Sam carries New York firemen, police, and military personnel in front of the Statue of Liberty on the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States float at the 113th Annual Rose Parade.

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David McNew

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Getty Images

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Key people:

• Ronald A. Okum, President
• Regis Philbin, Grand Marshal
• Caroline Hsu, Rose Queen

2005

Theme: "Celebrate Family"

Grand Marshal Mickey Mouse rides in the 116th Tournament Of Roses Parade.

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Matthew Simmons

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Getty Images

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Key people:

• David M. Davis, President
• Mickey Mouse, Grand Marshal
• Ashley Moreno, Rose Queen

2006

Theme: "It's Magical"

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor served as Grand Marshal the last time it rained on the parade in 2006. Rain is forecast again for the 2026 parade.

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Anne Cusack

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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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Pachyderm Parade float by the City of Burbank makes its way down Orange Grove in the rain, the first time rain came down on the parade in more than 50 years.

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Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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Key people:

• Elizabeth Evans Wright, President
• Sandra Day O'Connor, Grand Marshal
• Camille Clark, Rose Queen

2009

Theme: "Hats Off to Entertainment"

The University of Southern California cheerleaders perform at the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1, 2009. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Key people:

• Ronald H. Conzonire, President
• Cloris Leachman, Grand Marshal
• Courtney Lee, Rose Queen

2010

Theme: 2010: A Cut Above the Rest

Rose Queen Natalie Anne Innocenzi and her court the on the parade route during the 121st annual Tournment of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2010. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Key people:

• Gary J. DiSano, President
• Capt. Chelsey B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, Grand Marshal
• Natalie Innocenzi, Rose Queen

2011

Theme: Building Dreams, Friendship & Memories

Evanne Friedmann was named Rose Queen for the 2011 parade. .

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Frederick M. Brown

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Getty Images

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The Southwest DeKalb High School marching band from Decatur, Georgia played in the 2011 parade.

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Robyn Beck

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AFP via Getty Images

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Key people:

• Jerey L. Throop, President
• Paula Deen, Grand Marshal
• Evanne Friedmann, Rose Queen

2012

Theme: "Just Imagine..."

Members of Wells Fargo theme float 'Just Imagine...' move along Orange Grove Boulevard during the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade. (Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP)

Musician Kenny G participates in the Rose Parade on Jan. 2, 2012 in Pasadena, California. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Key people:

• Richard W. Jackson, President
• J.R. Martinez, Grand Marshal
• Drew Washington, Rose Queen

2014

Theme: "Dreams Come True"

Parade Grand Marshal Vin Scully and wife Sandra Hunt attend the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2014. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Key people:

• R. Scott Jenkins, President
• Vin Scully, Grand Marshal
• Ana Acosta, Rose Queen

2016

Theme: "Find Your Adventure"

The Disneyland Resort float is on display at the 127th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2016. (Photo: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland via Getty Images)

Key people:

• Mike Matthiessen, President
• Ken Burns, Grand Marshal
• Erika Winter, Rose Queen

2017

Theme: "Echoes of Success"

Members of the Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Industrial No. 3 Buhos Marching Band, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico participate in the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 2, 2017. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Key people:

• Brad Ratli, President
• Janet Evans, Grand Marshal
• Allyson Felix, Grand Marshal
• Greg Louganis, Grand Marshal
• Victoria Castellanos, Rose Queen

2018

Theme: "Making a Difference"

The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association float won the Founder Award at the 129th Rose Parade. (Photo: Michael Owen Baker/AP)

Key people:

• Lance Tibbet, President
• Gary Sinese, Grand Marshal
• Isabella Marez, Rose Queen

2019

Theme: "The Melody of Life"

Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal Chaka Khan waves during the 130th Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2019. (Photo: Michael Owen Baker/AP)

The UPS Store float, 'Books Keep Us on Our Toes' and winner of the Sweepstakes Award, moves along the route in the 2019 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade. (Photo: Carlos Delgado/AP)

Key people:

• Gerald Freeny, President
• Chaka Khan, Grand Marshal
• Louise Siskel, Rose Queen

2020

Theme: “The Power of Hope”

In this 2020 Rose Parade float, cartoon animals operate heavy equipment

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Sharon McNary

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LAist

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Key people:

• Laura Farber, President
• Camille Kennedy, Rose Queen
• Rita Moreno, Grand Marshall
• Gina Torres, Grand Marshall
• Laurie Hernandez, Grand Marshall

2022

Theme: "Dream. Believe. Achieve."

The parade returned in 2022 after being cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.

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Alborz Kamalizad

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LAist

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Participants in the float for the City of Alhambra way during the Rose Parade of 2022.

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Alborz Kamalizad

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LAist

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Key people:

• Dr. Robert B. Miller President
• Nadia Chung, Rose Queen
• LeVar, Burton Grand Marshall

2023

Theme: "Turning the Corner"

The Cal Poly Universities float in the 2023 Rose Parade was named "Road to Reclamation" and won the "Extraordinaire Award". Cal Poly has appeared in parade 74 times.

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Mariana Dale

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LAist

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Key people:

• Amy Wainscott, President
• Bella Ballard, Rose Queen
• Gabby Giffords, Grand Marshall

2024

Theme: "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language"

The 2024 Rose Parade.

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Michael Blackshire

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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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Key people:

• Alex Aghajanian, President
• Naomi Stillitano, Rose Queen
• Audra McDonald, Grand Marshall

2025

Theme: "Best Day Ever!"

Tennis great Billie Jean King, was the Grand Marshal of 2025 Rose Parade.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Key people:

• Ed Morales, President
• Lindsay Charles, Rose Queen
• Billie Jean King, Grand Marshall

2026

Theme: "The Magic in Teamwork"

Key people:

• Mark Leavens, President
• Serena Hui Guo, Rose Queen
• Magic Johnson, Grand Marshall

A version of this story initially ran in 2019. It has been updated with additional parade details.

FIFA is once again raising prices for a substantial number of games in the upcoming World Cup tournament that will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July.

The price increases took place in FIFA's latest sales window that kicked off on Wednesday, with 40 out of 104 games now costing more than in the last sales window, according to an NPR examination of prices.

The hikes can be stark. The most expensive "Category 1" tickets for the final will now cost $10,990, a broad area that covers most of the lower two bowls of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the last game of the tournament will be held in July.

That's significantly more than the nearly $8,700 at which these tickets were priced in FIFA's previous sales window earlier this year — and much higher than the $6,370 at which they were priced when sales kicked off last year.

The increases come even after FIFA has faced heavy criticism about the record prices being charged and its adoption of dynamic pricing for the first time. A group representing European fans and consumers called FIFA's prices "exorbitant" and filed a formal complaint this month with the European Commission in a bid to get the soccer body to lower prices.

Meanwhile, a group of Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to FIFA accusing the organization of "price gouging at the expense of the people who make the World Cup the most-watched sporting event in the world."

FIFA has not replied to NPR's queries. But previously FIFA has justified its prices citing strong demand for tickets as well as noting it's adapting its pricing to the North American market. FIFA has also repeatedly said it's a non-profit that steers the vast majority of revenue from the World Cup to grow soccer around the world.

Price increases cover a wide range of games

Most of the price increases in the initial stage of the tournament were for teams that tend to draw more fans such as Brazil, Argentina, England and Germany — as well as co-host Mexico.

Although price hikes tended to be of less than $100, they still mark a substantial escalation from the initial prices at which FIFA started selling those tickets. Some increases were quite big though. Mexico's opening game against Saudi Arabia now costs as much as $2,985, up from $2,355 in FIFA's last sales window and up from its initial price of $1,825.

Most of the knockout games also increased in price, including the one being held in Philadelphia on July 4th — and the hikes tend to get more substantial for match-ups later in the tournament.

For example, the two semi-finals of the tournament also saw hefty price hikes. The game that will be held in Dallas in July will now cost as much as $3,710, up substantially from $3,295 in the last sales window.

The current sales window will last all the way through the tournament. FIFA has not said how many tickets are left to sell, only that it will continue to drop tickets periodically, including potentially for games that appear to be sold out.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Topline:

Why now: HMC StratCap notified the city on Tuesday that it was pulling its proposal to build a data center in a local business park after months of pressure from residents and advocates who raised concerns about pollution, energy use and health risks. The parent company of the developer — DigiCo Infrastructure REIT — said that HMC sought to "work with the City to establish productive land uses" for its Saturn Street property "that are supported by the broader community." Representatives for HMC StratCap have not responded to requests for comment.

Why it matters: For people pushing back on data centers in the region, Monterey Park is shaping up as a test case for how local organizing can stop them. The developer’s decision to withdraw its application comes ahead of a June 2 special election on Measure NDC. If approved at the ballot box, Monterey Park would be the first to ban data centers by public vote. The developer, which had threatened legal action against the city for data center restrictions, now says it will not contest the proposition.

The backstory: The data center proposal had been moving through the city's planning pipeline for two years before it started showing up on the City Council's agendas and coming to the attention of residents, who were outraged the plans had not been well-publicized by the city. Hundreds of people flooded City Hall during council meetings over the last several months, demanding the city heed their concerns. In response, the council approved a temporary moratorium on data center development, put the issue on the ballot and will consider a separate ordinance banning data center development altogether.

What’s next: Members of groups like No Data Center MPK and San Gabriel Valley Progressive Action are celebrating the application's withdrawal, but say they will continue to advocate for Measure NDC and the data center ordinance, which the City Council is expected to vote on in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, organizers are joining the effort to stop a proposal to build a battery energy storage system in the City of Industry, which they see as laying the groundwork for a data center.

Go deeper: How Monterey Park residents pushed back on a data center — and changed the course

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi is out from the top job at the Justice Department. Her departure comes amid simmering frustration over her leadership and her handling of the Epstein files.

In social media post, Trump called Bondi "a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year."

"Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900," Trump said. "We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future."

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is Trump's former personal attorney, will step in to serve as acting attorney general, the president said.

Bondi, a longtime Trump loyalist, is the second member of the president's Cabinet to be forced out. Her departure comes almost one month after Trump fired Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.

Bondi leaves after a tumultuous 14 months in charge that critics say damaged the Justice Department's credibility, hollowed out the career ranks and undermined the rule of law.

Under Bondi, the department jettisoned its decades-old tradition of maintaining independence from the White House, particularly in investigations and prosecutions, to insulate them from partisan politics.

Instead, she used the department's vast powers to go after the president's perceived foes. That includes the high-profile cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, which were brought after Trump publicly called on Bondi to prosecute them.

A federal judge later tossed both cases after finding the acting U.S. attorney who secured the indictments was unlawfully appointed.

Other political opponents of the president or individuals standing in the way of his agenda also have found themselves under DOJ investigation, including Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, and former Obama-era intelligence officials James Clapper and John Brennan.

Bondi also oversaw sweeping changes to the career workforce at the department. The agency fired prosecutors and FBI officials who worked on Capitol riot cases or the Trump investigations.

The elite section that prosecutes public corruption was gutted; the Civil Rights Division, which protects the Constitutional rights of all Americans, experienced a mass exodus of career attorneys who say the division is being turned into an enforcement arm of the White House.

Political firestorm over Epstein files

Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, has defended her actions. She has portrayed the firings as a necessary house cleaning of politicized career officials. She's also tried to focus on what she views as major accomplishments during her tenure: targeting drug cartels, cracking down on violent crime, and helping in immigration enforcement.

But ultimately, the department's handling of the files related to the investigations of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein played a large role in her downfall.

Early in her tenure, Bondi told Fox News that she had Epstein's client list "sitting on my desk right now to review." A few months later, the Justice Department and the FBI said there was no client list and that no additional files from the Epstein investigation would be made public.

That touched off a political firestorm and ultimately led Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the Justice Department to make public all of the Epstein files in its possession.

The department failed to meet the Act's 30-day deadline to release the materials, fueling frustrations on Capitol Hill, before eventually releasing millions of pages of files. Democratic and Republican lawmakers also expressed concerns about heavy redactions that were made to many of the documents.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Long Beach has fired the contractor that operated almost all of its homeless shelters following an audit of the $69 million the city has spent on homeless services over the last five years.

The nonprofit First to Serve ran 423 of the city’s 500 shelter beds until yesterday, but after a closed-door City Council meeting last month, Long Beach cut ties and quickly swapped in the L.A.-based nonprofit People Assisting The Homeless (PATH).

Long Beach is now investigating First to Serve, according to Deputy City Attorney Nicholas Masero. It’s unclear if that investigation could result in the city pursuing criminal or civil charges. Masero said that “we’ll make that determination as the investigations progress.”

The investigation stemmed from a broader review of Long Beach’s homelessness programs launched by City Auditor Laura Doud in 2023.

The audit, Masero said, looked into documents submitted by vendors like First to Serve “seeking reimbursement or payment on contracts.”

“During our audit, we identified information that requires further review,” Doud wrote in a recent memo to the city manager. “To protect the integrity of our ongoing investigation, we cannot provide additional details regarding the matter at this time, nor can we discuss our audit in greater detail.”

What she discovered, though, was enough to compel Long Beach to cut ties with First to Serve.

By November, the city began to withhold payments and started the search for a new provider after finding enough instances of “contractual concerns that we were confident we needed to switch providers,” Masero said.

Doud has not yet released the full results of her audit, but she said contractors like First to Serve must do a better job showing they’ve performed the work they were hired to do before they’re paid, and the city needs to verify the services were actually provided before paying.

According to Homeless Services Bureau Manager Paul Duncan, Long Beach has paid First to Serve $13 to $14 million annually to operate four shelters, as well as for rapid rehousing and prevention programs.

Paul Duncan, Long Beach’s homeless services bureau manager, informed the city’s Homeless Services Advisory Committee on Wednesday, April 1, that the city had terminated contracts with its largest homeless shelter provider.

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Thomas R. Cordova

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Long Beach Post

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The organization oversaw the shelter at 702 West Anaheim St., the Atlantic Farms Bridge Housing Community at 6841 Atlantic Ave., the Project Homekey site at 1725 Long Beach Blvd., and the former Luxury Inn at 5950 Long Beach Blvd.

As of Wednesday, the sites were being operated by PATH. The city plans to release bids in the next month or two to evaluate new operators for each of the four shelters, Duncan said.

In response to the audit, the city said it’s already tightening up its processes, including the launch of a new tracking system and stricter oversight standards.

There’s been no official accounting of exactly what alleged wrongdoing is being investigated. According to their agendas, the City Council met in private on March 3 to discuss the situation, and then, on March 10, approved new contracts for PATH to operate the shelters without any public discussion.

On Wednesday, Long Beach officials also appeared to try to tamp down the idea that the move to fire First to Serve was related to accusations raised last week by mayoral candidate Chris Sweeney.

In a video posted to Instagram, Sweeney toured the shelter at 5950 Long Beach Blvd. and alleged there was fraud at the nearly empty shelter, where only 12 of its 78 rooms were being used.

First to Serve’s other three shelters were 78% to 88% occupied, according to city data, though about one-third of the rooms at the 1725 Long Beach Blvd. site were under construction and are not being used.

Officials say the city and First to Serve met weekly to review inventory at each shelter, transfer existing case files, and do walkthroughs of each site to make sure everything was accounted for.

Mayor Rex Richardson, Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, and other city officials celebrated the completion of the shelter at 5950 Long Beach Blvd. on Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova. In a memo, the Long Beach health director Alison King said the decision to cut ties with First to Serve was related to the city auditor’s review of “prior administrative documentation” that “is not related to shelter operations.”

Nevertheless, she wrote, “Based on the findings of that review, the City determined it is in the best interest of the community to move forward with a new service provider for shelter operations.”

The city’s investigation has been ongoing since October, according to Masero.

Nobody from First to Serve was immediately available to answer questions late Wednesday night.