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Marching Orders: The Rose Parade
There are 90 entries in the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade, for which the theme this year is "Hats Off to Entertainment." The floats, as usual, promise to blend hokey with interesting, all bedecked in all manner and sort of flora. The Pasadena Star-News has a full listing and description of every float and act; they seem to generally stick with the theme of entertainment, although many drift into the community and family themes.
Whether you're sleeping on the sidewalk for your front row seat or watching the re-broadcast on KTLA Thursday morning, you'll be seeing things like floats depicting Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, robot musicians, the 40th anniversary of Hee Haw, Bollywood, Sesame Street, and the joys of home ownership (really?) among dozens more. 38th to appear is 2009 Rose Parade Grand Marshal Cloris Leachman, fresh from her rousing appearance on Dancing With the Stars.
The parade--a guaranteed revenue-booster for the city of Pasadena--begins at 8 a.m. on New Year's Day.
La Cañada-Flintridge's entry, Mechanical Melodies, is in production beneath the 210 Freeway | Photo by orphanjones via Flickr
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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