Start your visit to southern California with a once-in-a-lifetime
insider’s look at the
Tournament of Roses®– that iconic New Year’s tradition that
originates right from Pasadena. Discover the story behind the Rose
Parade®, get the scoop on how they make those amazing floral floats, and
learn about the international, multi-channel volunteer effort that makes
the Tournament of Roses one of the most widely recognized phenomena’s of
American culture.
Your Tournament of Roses Experience will
begin with a behind-the-scenes visit to one of the floatbuilder’s
“barns” where the Rose Parade’s elaborate floral creations are
constructed. You will see what it takes to assemble one of the parade
floats from the ground up and learn from an industry expert about each of the steps that leads
up to their New Year’s Day debut on Colorado Boulevard.
We will then travel to
Tournament House,
the Pasadena headquarters of the Tournament of Roses. Surrounded by a 4
1/2 acre display garden, Tournament House is an Italian
Renaissance-style mansion that was once owned by chewing gum pioneer
William Wrigley, Jr. Our visit will start with an outdoor a reception and tour of Tournament House. The evening will conclude with a
very special dinner in the banquet room and a presentation from one of
the Tournament’s head volunteers sharing about the effort behind the
world-famous spectacle and what it takes to make America’s New Year
Celebration® come together.
