Rose Parade 2025: Time, Theme and How to Watch and Stream

People all over the world will tune in on January 1 for one of America’s oldest New Year’s celebrations: the annual Rose Parade. Why It Matters Every year, 935 community volunteers from the Tournament of Roses Association put in more than 80,000 hours of volunteer work toward the iconic parade. On New Year’s Day, the parade travels five and a half miles through Pasadena, California, and viewers can take in beautiful displays of florals and floats that celebrate American technological innovation. What To Know Volunteers work on a float for the 136th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on December 29. Better known as the Rose Parade, the festival of flower-covered floats will take place on January 1, 2025. Volunteers work on a float for the 136th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on December 29. Better known as the Rose Parade, the festival of flower-covered floats will take place on January 1, 2025. Ringo Chiu via AP The Rose Parade dates back to 1890, when the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena wanted to celebrate the city’s “charm and beautiful weather,” according to the Tournament of Roses website. When it started more than 130 years ago, the Rose Parade drew 3,000 spectators. It has since expanded dramatically and now brings in millions of viewers worldwide. The 2025 parade will feature 39 rose-covered floats, 16 equestrian teams and 24 marching bands from around the world. Although volunteers still build some floats in the parade, the vast majority are built by professional companies and can take up to a year to put together. What Time is the Rose Parade This Year? The 2025 parade will kick off at 8 a.m. PT on January 1 in Pasadena. It will start at the corner of Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard and end on Sierra Madre Boulevard and Villa Street. What is the Theme of the Parade This Year? The theme this year is “Best Day Ever!” according to Ed Morales, the president of the Tournament of Roses. Who Is This Year’s Grand Marshal? The 2025 grand marshal is tennis legend Billie Jean King. Morales announced King’s selection as grand marshal in October, applauding her legacy on and off the tennis court. She was the first woman to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in September, she became the first individual woman athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. She also founded the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Women’s Tennis Association and the Billie Jean King Foundation. How To Watch the 2025 Rose Parade NBC will broadcast the parade live for the 98th year in a row, and Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb and weather and feature anchor Al Roker will host the event. It will also be simulcast on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. If you’re watching the parade online, you can also use several other streaming services to tune in. Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV Stream and Fubo all give viewers access to channels including NBC. You can also tune into the Rose Parade via Sling TV’s Blue Plan, which gives viewers access to NBC. What People Are Saying Morales said this year’s theme celebrates “life’s best moments,” per the Tournament of Roses: “Those unexpected times that bring a smile, warm our hearts and fill us with joy. From a once-in-a-lifetime experience to the simplest pleasures, each is indelibly etched into our memory.” Morales said he was “thrilled” to announce King as this year’s grand marshal: “Her trailblazing work has elevated women in sports and inspired countless best days ever for athletes and fans around the globe.”