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Rose Parade marching bands brought the magic of teamwork to Pasadena
Orlando Garcia started playing clarinet at Monrovia High School and will march in his second Rose Parade as the drum major of the Tournament of Roses Honor Band.
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Mariana Dale
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Rose Parade marching bands brought the magic of teamwork to Pasadena
You can hear the 2026 Rose Parade theme, “The Magic in Teamwork,” reflected in the music of the ensembles performing at Bandfest on Tuesday.
Bandfest is an opportunity to see marching bands from around the country — and Mexico and Japan — before their 2026 Rose Parade performance.
“This is the granddaddy of them all,” Tournament of Roses Honor Band Director Peter Huerta said of playing in the parade. “It is viewed all around the world. Everybody is watching you. Every little detail has to be perfect.”
Adriana Del Toro lined up outside Pasadena City College’s Robinson Stadium on Monday to watch her niece play the trumpet in the Los Angeles Unified School District All-District High School Honor Band.
“I'm living my childhood dream through her,” Del Toro said. ”When I was in high school, I always wanted to try out for a band, but I never did it because I was too shy. So I told her, as long as I can, I'm going to be here and support her.”
Some performances incorporated the 2026 Rose Parade theme, “The Magic in Teamwork.”
For example, the Tournament of Roses Honor Band’s performance includes the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” and High School Musical’s “We’re All in This Together.”
The Pasadena City College marching band and musicians from 62 local high schools make up the ensemble.
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The 250-member Tournament of Roses Honor Band includes the Pasadena City College marching band and musicians from 62 local high schools.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Drum Major Orlando Garcia said the teamwork theme makes him remember the smoky skies and power outages that followed January’s wildfires.
“We can come together and make great music,” Garcia said of his bandmates. “Just as we always come together and get through everything.”
Attend Bandfest
- When: Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Update: The afternoon show is sold out as of Tuesday morning.
- Where: Pasadena City College’s Robinson Stadium, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. Park at Lot 4.
- Tickets: Available online. $26.50 for adults and free for children 5 and younger.
- Good to know: You can bring only clear bags and small clutches into the venue.
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