From a colorful Armenian heritage float decorated with red Christmas mums, to a bright, flower-adorned dragon celebrating L.A.’s Asian and Latino cultures, the 2024 Rose Parade has a diverse line-up planned.
Many new and returning parade entries, special guests and performances aim to reflect the diversity of the parade’s theme: “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.”
David Eads, CEO of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, called its annual parade a “global celebration for the new year” that reflects both a “global tapestry, and enhances the parade’s vibrancy.”
“Representation from different communities enriches the parade experience, fostering understanding and appreciation for the world’s rich variety of traditions and heritage,” Eads said. He noted that the annual event, plus its wide range of diverse nationwide volunteers and staff who help bring everything together, “create a world-class celebration that resonates with people from all walks of life.”
Reflecting on this year’s musical theme, Eads said the parade “promotes a shared appreciation for music’s global diversity… the universal language (of) music.”
Among the diverse line-up of float entries, bands and musical performances in the 135th Rose Parade include, in no particular order:
Parade floats
“Celebrating the Year of the Dragon,” from the City of Alhambra
- Designed by elementary school student Shannon Tan, the city of Alhambra’s float distinguishes 2024 as the Year of the Dragon, and features a giant dragon, with a globe perched in its claw, standing protectively over her sleeping baby dragon.
“Armenian Melodies,” from the American Armenian Rose Float Association
- Designed by American Armenia Rose Float Association board member Johnny Kanouji, this float aims to show aspects of Armenian culture, symbolism, history and more. Kanouji is Armenian and said the association “wants to give back” to the Armenian community and display their shared culture.
“Woven Together: The Dance of Life,” from OneLegacy Donate Life
- The 21st annual OneLegacy Donate Life’s float entry showcases the Hopi tribe, who are native to the American Southwest, and one of the oldest Pueblo Native American cultures in what’s now the United States, originating some 7,000 years ago. The design is a Native American figure in a headdress, surrounded by woven baskets filled with corn and other fruits from Hopi culture.
“Rhythm of the Caribbean,” from Downey Rose Float Association
- A 13-time winner of the Founder’s Trophy, the Downey Rose Float Association travels to the Caribbean with a group of flamingos, made from over 18,000 flowers, frolicking in a tropical lagoon setting. Organizers say the parade entry celebrates the natural beauty and music of the Caribbean.
“Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord,” from Lutheran Hour Ministries
- Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Lutheran Hour Ministries’ annual float features three oversized trumpets made of different natural materials, with hanging banners in a floral garden.
Performances and acts
Grand Marshal: Audra McDonald
- The 2024 grand marshal is award-winning and longtime activist Audra McDonald, a Black actress best known for her work in Annie (1999), Private Practice and her current role in HBO’s The Gilded Age. Her vocal abilities and Broadway experience tie in with the parade’s music theme, as McDonald has won a whopping — and record-breaking — 6 Tony Awards.
Opening spectacular
- The diverse performers opening the Rose Parade include singers Michelle Williams, David Archuleta and more. Williams is mostly known for her legacy as part of R&B group Destiny’s Child. Archuleta, a finalist on “American Idol” in 2008, came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in 2021.
Mid-parade performances
- Making their third parade experience, Louisiana artists Sean Ardoin, Amanda Shaw and James Burton will be doing a mid-parade performance on the Mardi Gras themed float presented by Explore Louisiana.
- Emmy-nominated songwriter Alexander Star will perform aboard the Visit Lauderdale float.
- Straight No Chaser, the RIAA-Certified Gold a cappella group known for its array of reinterpretations of popular tunes, will sing those tunes aboard the Enjoy Illinois float
Closing performance
- Closing out the parade is 2007 “American Idol” season 6 winner Jordan Sparks, the youngest singer to win the competition. Her post-Idol experience includes acting on Broadway and in the 2012 movie Sparkle, as well as putting out award-winning albums.
Marching bands, equestrian groups and more
Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team, from Altadena
- Founded in 1995 in the San Gabriel Valley by a group of brothers and friends from the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, this team — riding American quarter horses, Andalusians, Freisians and Aztecas — has appeared in 13 Rose Parades since their debut in 2006.
Na Koa Ali’i – Hawai’i All State Marching Band
- Formed in 2002 by Hawai’i state, this marching band is made up of over 300 high school musicians and performers from around the islands, wearing handmade Raffia skirts imported from Micronesia and cultural Lei Po’o. The band’s “to’eres,” or log drums, give the group a unique Polynesian sound.
The Blue and Gold Marching Machine, from Greensboro, N.C.
- Ranking number one among the top Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ marching bands, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s “Blue and Gold Marching Machine” (BGMM) performs in the Rose Parade for the first time. A&T’s marching band, known for bringing fans to their feet with high-stepping performances and precise drills, has performed in Carolina Panthers NFL home games and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The group regularly participates in community outreach and multicultural programs.
Staff writers Jerry Rice, John Orona and columnist Anissa Rivera contributed to this report.
Source: Orange County Register
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