Staged every year since 1890, the parade has
grown from a local Pasadena institution to a national
treasure rivaling the New Year's Eve ball drop in Times
Square. This year's theme was "Music, Music, Music,"
and the 2005 parade celebrated music as a universal
language with grand marshal John Williams, composer
of movie scores for "Harry Potter" and "Star
Wars," presiding over the botanical splendor. However,
it's the spectacular floats made exclusively from petals,
seeds, roots and other natural materials that make this
moving spectacle a sight to see.
While many folks sleep off their New Year's Eve revels,
parade fans have already been ensconced for hours
along the route. The parade starts at Ellis Street
and Orange Grove Boulevard, then slowly progresses
up to Colorado Boulevard. The five-and-a-half mile
route winds to a close as it turns north on Sierra
Madre Boulevard and ends at Villa.