Official Supporter of Rose Parade Bands

Farmers has a long tradition with the Tournament of Roses. The 2009 Parade marks Farmers’ 50th year of having a float and participating in the Parade. And with that, Farmers has expanded participation in the Parade and is proud to be both the Official Insurance Sponsor and the Official Supporter of the Rose Parade Bands. Farmers is in the business of helping people restore their lives to order. In many ways, Farmers' community involvement mirrors its business philosophy. Since its founding in 1928, Farmers has been committed to improving the communities where its customers, agents and employees live and work. Improving safety, expanding educational opportunities, enhancing health and human services, encouraging civic participation and supporting the arts and culture help drive Farmers commitment.

50 Fun Rose Parade Facts

The first Tournament of Roses was held on January 1, 1890.
In 1893, the Tournament instituted a “Never on Sunday” policy to avoid frightening the horses tethered outside local churches and thus interfering with worship services. From then on, anytime January first fell on a Sunday, the Tournament of Roses festivities have been held on January
In the Rose Parade’s history, January 1st has fallen on a Sunday 17 times: 1893, 1899, 1905, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1933, 1939, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1967, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1995, 2006.
The next time the Tournament of Roses will be help on January 2nd will be in 2012.
Shirley Temple was Grand Marshal during two “Never on Sunday” years – 1939 and 1989.
In 1901, the first motorized vehicles were allowed to enter the Parade, which was still dominated by flower-covered horse and buggies. There was little enthusiasm for the autos at this time – they were forced to appear at the rear of the Parade, so as not to scare the horses.
The first post-season college football game is played on January first, 1902, at Tournament Park with the University of Michigan beating Stanford 49-0. Due to the over-excitement of the crowd and the lopsided score, football was abandoned and replaced with chariot racing the next year.
Hallie Woods is the first Rose Queen in 1905. Chosen by her classmates at Pasadena High School, Miss Woods made her own gown and helped decorate her float.
In 1913 and 1914, the Tournament of Roses had both a King and Queen reigning over the New Year festivities. These were the only years that a King was named.
In 1923, the New Year’s football game between the east and the west is played in the new “bowl shaped” stadium built by the Tournament of Roses. The stadium is named “The Rose Bowl”.
In 1930, San Francisco Mayor James “Sunny Jim” Rolph becomes the first Grand Marshal chosen from outside Pasadena.
In 1933, silent film star Mary Pickford became the first Hollywood celebrity and the first woman to be chosen as Grand Marshal.
Due to wartime restrictions, 1942 saw a small-scale Rose Parade, with just a few Tournament officials and the Queen and Court riding down the Parade route in Victory cards. Despite a wartime “black-out” on the west coast, the Rose Bowl Game is played at the request of the U.S. Government – to boost public marale – and is moved to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
1947 marked the first local telecast of the Rose Parade on W6XYZ, an experimental TV station that later became KTLA.
935 + Tournament members work throughout the year to coordinate the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game
Tournament members log more than 80,000 volunteer hours each year
Volunteers are nicknamed “White Suiters” because of the distinctive white uniform every volunteer wears.
600 tons of steel to make the floats
5,000 gallons of glue used
18 million flowers used
Tournament house was the former home of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. It is now the working headquarters for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association since 1960.
The name Pasadena means Crown of the Valley in Chippewa. ***
Out of 119 Rose Parades, it has only rained on the Rose Parade 10 times. (1895, 1899, 1906, 1910, 1916, 1922, 1934, 1937, 1955, and 2006)
The first festival had more than 2,000 in attendance.
Today, more than 1 million line the Parade route.
The official Parade route begins in the formation area and then travels north on Orange Grove Blvd.
It is estimated that 40 million viewers watch the Parade in the United States alone.
Colorado Boulevard is Pasadena's main thoroughfare and a segment of the former US 66
The Parade route ends on Sierra Madre Blvd.
The assembled bands, horse units, and floats take approximately 2 hours to pass by spectators.
Floats have to be covered entirely with organic materials (fresh, dried, or crushed)
It has been said that each float is covered in more flowers than a typical florist uses in five years.
There are 25 Tournament of Roses trophies awarded to floats.
Approximately 1,000 Pasadena-area young ladies try out to become Rose Queen/and or to be one of the six princesses of the court.
In addition to riding on the float, the queen and court attend 150 media events during their reign.
In 1891, the first band to play in the Rose Parade was the Monrovia Town Band.
The Parade is a 5 ½ mile march.
Grand Marshal’s are not always human beings. In 1966, Walt Disney was Grand Marshal and brought Mickey Mouse along. In 2005, Mickey Mouse was a Grand Marshal all by himself.
In 1996, Kermit the Frog was Grand Marshal.
In 1974, cartoonist, Charles Schultz, was Grand Marshal and created a cartoon strip in honor of that role.
The tradition began in 1890 when the Valley Hunt Club voted to stage a parade with flower-laden horse and buggies.
The Salvation Army Band is the longest participating band in the Rose Parade marching in every Parade since 1920.
Approximately 300 horses and their riders are in the Rose Parade each year.
2009 Queen Courtney Lee is the 91st Rose Queen to reign over the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.
Bands that have a long standing arrangement to be in the Parade include:
a. The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band
b. The Los Angeles Unified School District All District High School Honor Band
c. The Salvation Army marching band
d. The United States Marine Corps, West Coast Composite marching band***
In 2009, Farmers Insurance will have had a float in the Parade for 50 years.
The top Farmers agent and dm ride on the float.
The top Farmers fundraisers for March of Dimes ride on the float.
The Rose Parade is broadcast around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.
Themes in history: