The Rose Bowl Is Back — Parade and Game. Here Are The Vax Rules To Know Before You Go

In just a few weeks, tens of thousands of people will travel to Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl game on New Year’s Day.

The parade hasn't taken place for two years. Tournament of Roses officials cancelled the 2021 parade for the first time since World War II because of health protocols imposed by the state in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year's Rose Bowl game between Alabama and Notre Dame was moved to Arlington, Texas.

The proliferation of coronavirus vaccines and ample tests led officials to green-light the festivities this season, but ongoing health protocols mean it will look different.

I Have Tickets To The Rose Parade, The Rose Bowl Game, And/Or Floatfest. What Should I Know?

• Everyone with a ticket aged 12 and up will need to show proof they are fully vaccinated or have had a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event. 
• Face masks will be required for everyone over 2 years of age. 
• People 18 and older need to bring a photo ID.

The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes will be playing in the Rose Bowl game on Saturday, January 1. The teams and thousands of fans will be traveling from Ohio and Utah, where new COVID-19 case rates are currently three times higher than in Los Angeles County.

Rose Bowl organizers are expecting around 90,000 people will attend the game, and up to 60% of them will be from out of town. About 28,000 tickets went to the Utah ticket office, and 22,000 to The Ohio State University.

I’m Camping Out To Watch The Rose Parade. Do I Need To Prove I’m Vaccinated? 

People going to other ticketed bleacher seats outside that secured area will not need to show any documentation. That goes for spectators on the street along the 5.5 mile route.

But vaccine and mask rules apply to the ticketed Floatfest, where organizers expect 150,000 people to admire the floats up close on Pasadena streets on January 1 and 2.

The Pasadena Health Department advocates that people get vaccinated or boosted before they attend the parade or event, and wear a mask outside, but those are recommendations.

Millions of people remain unvaccinated in Los Angeles County, especially in the youngest eligible age group. Just 14% of children ages 5 to 11 have gotten one dose of the vaccine in Los Angeles County — in San Francisco it’s twice as high.