Rose Parade marching bands

For the Tournament of Roses Parade, top marching bands from all over the world are invited. Many of the nation's top high school marching bands participate, along with college and organizational marching bands. Prior to the parade, most of the bands will participate in one of three "Bandfest" shows at Pasadena City College and at other Southern California venues.
The bands participating in the parade have also developed traditions. For example, Pasadena City College's Lancer Marching Band always marches in the Rose Parade, along with high school band and color guard students from all over Southern California, who are selected by audition the previous autumn. The Tournament of Roses Honor Band is a coveted position, and those selected are among the best student musicians in California. Nine of the high school trumpet players, selected by performance on their auditions, and the best snare drummer, are selected as the Herald Trumpets, who march directly before the Rose Queen's float and play fanfares.
University marching bands from the two schools participating in the Rose Bowl Game, along with their spirit squads, are invited to march in the parade. They typically accompany the floats that represent the conferences.
In 1891, the Monrovia City Band was the first musical group to perform in the Rose Parade. T.M. Hotchkiss, Historical Section of the Friends of the Monrovia Library wrote in 1986 that "Albert E. Cronenwett organized and led the Monrovia City Band. It went wherever music was needed. On New Year's Day in 1891 it was the first musical organization to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. "Cronnie's Band" will long be remembered."
Bands that have a long-standing arrangement to be in the parade include:
In 1965, the Mississippi Valley State College (Mississippi Valley State University) Marching Band was the first HBCU marching band to be invited to participate in the Rose Parade. They were also the first HBCU band to be invited back a second time to participate in the parade.
In 1998, the Washington Township High School Minutemen Marching Band from Sewell, New Jersey, became the first band in the history of the Rose Parade to decorate its entire ranks with live flowers, in keeping with the practice of decorating the parade floats. Designed by Todd Marcocci and Francesco Protasi, this unique concept and design approach received tremendous support from all major media around the world. Since then, several bands have followed suit.
Also, most of the bands participate in Bandfest, which is sponsored by Remo, where bands perform their field shows at Pasadena City College's Mack and Jackie Robinson Stadium over two days. Bandfest consists of three shows (one on the first day and two on the second day). A percussion group from Remo leads a drum circle with the audience, who have received complimentary Remo drumheads and sticks prior to the event. The Pasadena City College Honor Band and Herald Trumpets perform first, followed by other bands. All bands are invited to perform at Bandfest, but all do not necessarily perform (typically the university bands involved in the Rose Bowl Game). The band members are treated to lunch from In-N-Out Burger with on-site kitchen-trailers.
List of bands in the 2018 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2019 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2020 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2022 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2023 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2024 Rose Parade:
List of bands in the 2025 Rose Parade: