PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 02: The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band participates in the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade Presented by Honda on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) The 2021 Rose Parade has been canceled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time in 75 years the New Year’s Day tradition won’t be held.
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association said in a statement that the association wanted to be completely sure that the state’s restrictions would prevent it from holding the parade.
David Eads, the CEO of the Tournament of Roses, told KTLA, “We just felt that there was no way that we’d be able to host a Rose Parade this year …. It’s really the safety of the general public and all of our members, our partners that has to be a priority.”
He also told the Orange County Register that 12 marching bands already had pulled out of the parade, as did seven of the float participants. Construction hadn’t yet begun on the floats.
The association plans to stage an alternative to the Rose Parade for New Year’s Day; it’s not yet clear what that would be.
This is only the fourth time the Rose Parade has been canceled in its 132-year history. The last time it was canceled was 1944 because of World War II.
The Rose Bowl game still will be played if a college football season is held.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.