It’s a New Year’s Day tradition for many Californians: Watch the Rose Parade followed by the Rose Bowl football game.
The 2025 Rose Bowl will be a rematch between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes. And what about the Rose Parade?
Here’s what to know about both iconic New Year’s Day events.
The No. 1 Oregon Ducks, champions of the Big Ten Conference, play the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals Wednesday, Jan. 1, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.
Pre-game festivities start at 1 p.m. California time. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. It can be streamed on the Watch ESPN app and any streaming platform with live TV capability.
It will be only the seventh time the Buckeyes have played the same team more than once in a season. The Ducks beat Ohio State Oct. 12, 32-31.
The Rose Parade, an iconic New Year’s Day tradition, begins at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1.
The Rose Parade travels 5 ½ miles and features floral-covered floats, equestrian units, marching bands and tournament entries, according to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses website.
The parade floats are a marvel of state-of-the-art technology tucked away beneath flowers and other all-natural materials.
Each year, more than 80,000 hours of volunteer work are contributed by 935 volunteer members of the Tournament of Roses Association. Known as White Suiters for their white uniforms, these community-spirited volunteers donate their evenings, weekends, and holidays to ensure the success of the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game.
The 136th Annual Rose Parade with the theme of “Best Day Ever” will broadcast live on NBC from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Jan. 1.
Lifewire.com says the parade will be on KTLA-5, NBC, ABC, Hallmark Channel, RFD TV and Univision. It can be streamed on ABC.com, Peacock and any streaming services with live TV capabilities.
You can also check out the official Tournament of Roses YouTube account, which offers both the parade and some extra videos about its creation and history.
This year’s theme is “Best Day Ever.”
“The 2025 theme celebrates life’s best moments — those unexpected times that bring a smile, warm our hearts and fill us with joy,” Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales said in a statement unveiling the parade theme. “From a once-in-a-lifetime experience to the simplest pleasures, each is indelibly etched into our memory. Together, we celebrate where we’ve been and what we look forward to. It’s about family, friends, and community and what we have to celebrate — and to be thankful for. On New Year’s Day and throughout the year, let’s celebrate the times that make up our Best Day Ever.”
Yes, you can watch the Rose Parade in person. Parade watchers can start claiming their free spots along the parade’s route at noon on New Year’s Eve on a first-come, first-served basis.
People who want to sit in the ticketed grandstand seats on Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevards are encouraged to arrive at their seats by 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, New Year’s Day, parade organizers said.
Locals are urged to take public transport to the parade, as parking is limited. Metro buses will provide regular bus service in areas surrounding the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game, and Post Parade areas. The Metrolink and Metro A Line Light Rail Service will also be available for people to ride.
The 2025 Rose Parade’s grand marshal is tennis star Billie Jean King, who, during her storied athletic career, won 39 Grand Slam titles, including 20 Wimbledon titles.
Related:Women of the Century: A profile of Billie Jean King
Besides being an elite tennis star, King fought for equal pay for women athletes and for gender equality in sports and all workplaces.
USA TODAY contributed to this article.
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