The 124th Rose Parade in Pasadena kicked off on a cloudy and cold New Year’s Day with the elaborate Dr. Seuss-themed float “Follow Your Dreams.”
The float -- heralding this year's theme, "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" -- contained 20,000 individual blossoms and more than 5,000 roses.
As the parade moved along Colorado Boulevard, among the crowd estimated at nearly 1 million, parade officials dressed in white, head to toe, zipped around in white scooters, and buses occasionally rolled through, escorted by police.
"Awesome!" yelled a tightly bundled Diego Estrada, 6, pointing to the Goodyear blimp as it floated by.
The sun rose to cloudy skies and a scene of joyous chaos at the intersection of Orange Grove and Del Mar boulevards. Parade-goers donned jester hats with bells, neon-pink bunny ears with flashing lights, and plain-old knit beanies against the cold. Nearby, Dole's volcano float shot plumes of flame into tha air and blared mariachi music.
Azalea Tauer, 36, of Temple City, padded with six layers of clothing and a wool scarf, had a fire blazing nearby in a small charcoal barbecue she brought. Her family spent the night angling for a spot for the first time.
-- Christine Mai-Duc, Frank Shyong, Joseph Serna and Eryn Brown, Los Angeles Times
