Another Hit To SoCal Tourism = 2021 Rose Parade Cancelled

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As if the SoCal tourism economy and hospitality industry needed another setback, they have just cancelled the Rose Parade this January.

The game is still trying to be planned, but without an audience.

 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Walt Disney served as the Parade Grand Marshall in 1966, riding in a fantastic '66 Imperial convertible like a boss.

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The Rose Queen, her court, and the two competing football teams had been making official Disneyland visits a few days before the game since the 1950's. As it's unclear if Disneyland will be open this January, or if the Rose Queen and teams will be allowed to make public appearances, this would be the first year since about 1957 that the Tournament of Roses did not include a Disneyland visit on their official pre-game itinerary in Southern California.

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Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Wow....they are cancelling this far in advance for January...?

I realize there is likely several weeks and probably a couple of months prep time to put on an event like this....but January...?
Already?

😯

-
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
One other element to the pre-game festivities at Disneyland is the Battle of the Bands, where the two competing marching bands perform and host a pep rally for their team in the Town Square.

I'm not sure when this tradition started, but it's been an element of Disneyland's Christmas week since at least the 1990's.

Here's the Washington Huskies last year at Disneyland. It doesn't get more American than this, does it?

 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wow....they are cancelling this far in advance for January...?

I realize there is likely several weeks and probably a couple of months prep time to put on an event like this....but January...?
Already?

😯

-

They cited the need for many high school marching bands around the world to fundraise and plan for their visit, plus the need for cities and companies to plan for and build floats.

Planning and fund raising had already started this summer, and was actually already falling behind because of the uncertainty, so they were forced to cancel now.

The statement today from the CEO of the Tournament Of Roses was "nobody foresees that the state of California will be in Stage 4 of Newsom's reopening plan by January."
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
That's one of the coolest photos of Walt Disney I've ever seen.

Yeah, it's a personal favorite of mine. The mid 1960's were truly a special time. And Walt was literally riding high at that time.

That Imperial he was riding in was massive, a few inches longer than even a Cadillac or Lincoln. Imperial was Chrysler's competitor to those two luxury brands, and so Chrysler always tried to make Imperials just a tad larger than even Cadillacs. That mid 60's version of Mickey Mouse looks cool too. Just a fun era all around.

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Phroobar

Well-Known Member
I don't think I've watched that parade in years. The TV is usually tuned in but it really never gets my attention unless a float is really impressive. I think my wife turns it on for the marching bands. She was a band geek and our nephew's are usually marching in it.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
One of my favorite high school memories was volunteering to decorate some of the Rose Parade floats right after Christmas. It's always a mad dash to the end to get the flowers and leaves on. Building the floats with social distancing guidelines would be next to impossible, I think.

I volunteered to help decorate two floats. Once in the 1970's around Christmastime with my family, it was The Gas Company float as I had a close relative who was a bigwig at the Gas Company back then. And then again about 20 years ago with a friend who was involved with the Chevron float. Apparently my Rose Parade involvement requires the sponsorship of fossil fuels.

Decorating a float is a bizarre and hilarious thing to do; there's this entire industry you never knew existed in the west San Gabriel Valley of several companies that do nothing but design and build floats for this parade. Who knew?

When I helped with the Chevron float I was put in charge of mixing seeds; a very stern supervisor woman sized me up and then stationed me at a long table with a half dozen industrial strength MixMaster blenders where I ground up various seeds for use as... something.

The cancellation of this year's parade must be devastating for those float companies. Financially and emotionally.

This is economically devastating for SoCal in many ways, not just the float companies. The tourism surrounding the Rose Bowl and the various Tournament of Roses activities is hugely important for some communities and their businesses. As if the city of New Orleans just cancelled Mardi Gras.
 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I don't think I've watched that parade in years. The TV is usually tuned in but it really never gets my attention unless a float is really impressive. I think my wife turns it on for the marching bands. She was a band geek and our nephew's are usually marching in it.

I'm about the same way, and I enjoy the TV hosts commentary on the floats more than the actual parade.

It's cancelled for '21, but when your wife watches in '22 you should just walk into the room, get right up to the TV screen and point at some fluffy element on a float and exclaim "Impressive use of Pampas Grass!", and then just walk away.

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Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
It's as if the city of Pasadena should somehow feel fortunate that the Rose Bowl takes place there every year.

The Parade, no.

But it is very easy for the Pac-12 and Big Ten to have its Championship somewhere else, like a newly built stadium.

Same for the College Football Playoff.

Pasadena spends a lot of money every year to keep the game in town, and has done a lot of Stadium upgrades to keep the game in town.

Hosting major sporting events is a competition, and the residents of the city should be appreciate the economic engine January 1st, and surrounding days bring to the city.

.
 

socalifornian

Well-Known Member
I volunteered to help decorate two floats. Once in the 1970's around Christmastime with my family, it was The Gas Company float as I had a close relative who was a bigwig at the Gas Company back then. And then again about 20 years ago with a friend who was involved with the Chevron float. Apparently my Rose Parade involvement requires the sponsorship of fossil fuels.

Decorating a float is a bizarre and hilarious thing to do; there's this entire industry you never knew existed in the west San Gabriel Valley of several companies that do nothing but design and build floats for this parade. Who knew?

When I helped with the Chevron float I was put in charge of mixing seeds; a very stern supervisor woman sized me up and then stationed me at a long table with a half dozen industrial strength MixMaster blenders where I ground up various seeds for use as... something.

The cancellation of this year's parade must be devastating for those float companies. Financially and emotionally.

This is economically devastating for SoCal in many ways, not just the float companies. The tourism surrounding the Rose Bowl and the various Tournament of Roses activities is hugely important for some communities and their businesses. As if the city of New Orleans just cancelled Mardi Gras.
One of my great-grandpas had a flower shop in San Gabriel and would help with the parade as well, I never realized there were float companies in the area. Makes sense now that I think about it.

My only experience with the parade was breaking down Burbank’s float near their train station as part of Disney’s Voluntears program. I was able to schedule it from WDW last minute right before my college program ended out there
 

Jefro

Active Member
The Parade, no.

But it is very easy for the Pac-12 and Big Ten to have its Championship somewhere else, like a newly built stadium.

Same for the College Football Playoff.

Pasadena spends a lot of money every year to keep the game in town, and has done a lot of Stadium upgrades to keep the game in town.

Hosting major sporting events is a competition, and the residents of the city should be appreciate the economic engine January 1st, and surrounding days bring to the city.

.

And now that the Pac 12 and Big 10 are conference only for games this fall, that probably didn't help much.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
And now that the Pac 12 and Big 10 are conference only for games this fall, that probably didn't help much.
The Rose Bowl Game creates a BIG TV paycheck for the teams and the conferences. I seriously doubt that they would not accept a bowl invite.

But based on the current schedule, the New Years, 2021 game will be a College Football Playoff semi-final game instead of a Big Ten/Pac 12 matchup.
 

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