Coming up with the marching orders for the 134th Rose Parade is the job of the Tournament of Roses “white suiters.” Several of the 31 Tournament of Roses committees work together to set the Rose Parade lineup.
This year, they assembled a working order for dozens of floats, 21 marching bands and 17 equestrian units. The placement of the entries is carefully crafted.
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“It’s important,” said Candy Carlson, director of communications for the Tournament of Roses. “An example would be, knowing if there are pyrotechnics on a float so that an equestrian group isn’t placed directly in front of or behind.”
Another element to consider is sponsored entries, such as the opening number presented by Honda, that pay for their spot in America’s New Year’s celebration. This year the opening show includes the U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer Bomber flyover and a performance from Los Angeles band Fitz and the Tantrums. Other sponsored entries are the mid-parade performance presented by Louisiana Travel and the grand finale from two-time Grammy winner Tanya Tucker, presented by Mansion Entertainment Group.
The other corporate, civic, nonprofit and international entries get their lineup assigned by Tournament committees. All get high-profile exposure to more than 50 million viewers in more than 170 countries. The parade racks up a live audience of more than 700,000 every year.
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