With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Rain, security concerns don't dampen Rose Parade

After waiting in the cold — many camping overnight — spectators wrapped themselves in blankets and sipped coffee and cider as 44 floats and 22 marching bands paraded past them for the 128th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena on Monday.
"We only got three hours of sleep, but we’re glad it didn’t rain,” said Austin Stewart, who camped out with his mother since noon on Sunday to get a front row view of a parade she's always wanted to see.
"It's been on my bucket for a very long time,” said Melissa Stewart.
Nighttime lows dipped in the 40s and the temperatures during the parade were just above 50 degrees. Except for occasional sprinkles overnight, the weather stayed dry.
Rain had been one concern. The other: security.
Officials announced last week they were stepping up measures in the wake of a pre-Christmas truck attack at a crowded Berlin market that left a dozen people dead.
Workers in Pasadena set up water-filled orange barricades at more than 50 intersections to block vehicles from driving onto the five-and-a-half mile parade route on Colorado Blvd.
But spectators seemed mostly to shrug off the additional threat and ended up sitting or standing on barricades Monday to get a better view of the floats.
“There was a lot more security, a lot more officers," said Ontario resident Jose Vavala, as he sat along the parade route. “We try not to focus on it.”
More than a thousand law enforcement officers patrolled city streets, but Pasadena Police reported just seven arrests, all for minor offenses.
"It was very uneventful as far as crime and as far as people getting carried away," said Pasadena Police Lt. Peter Hettema.
The undisputed viral hit of the parade was a float from the Lucy Pet Foundation that featured dogs surfing in a 10,000 gallon tank of water.
At 74 tons and 126-feet long, the float set a new world record for the longest and heaviest float in Rose Parade history.
Famed Olympians Janet Evans, Allyson Felix, and Greg Louganis served as grand marshals of the event, a nod to Los Angeles' campaign to host the Olympics in 2024.
The Rose Parade is held New Years Day except when that day falls on a Sunday, as it did this year. The decision not to march on Sunday dates back to the early days of the parade.
"The Tournament wanted to avoid frightening horses that would be hitched outside churches and thus interfering with worship services so the events were moved to the next day, January 2," the Rose Parade explains on its website. "Though horses are no longer outside local churches, the tradition remains to this day."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
-
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
-
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
-
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.