New Year’s Day 2026 comes after an unprecedented year for the greater Los Angeles area as well as the communities adjacent to where the Rose Parade tradition calls home each year.
On Jan. 7, 2025, two wildfires ravaged communities in the Palisades and in the Altadena/Pasadena area. Separated by about 30 miles of distance as well as topographical and socio-economic differences, their recoveries have moved forward on parallel tracks.
The Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game fall nearly a year to the day that both communities were forever changed and the Tournament of Roses has already announced a slew of special guests, floats and ticket giveaways to mark the collective anniversary.
Within days of the Eaton fire, the Rose Bowl stadium parking lot turned into a makeshift campground for the thousands of first responders who continued to fight the giant blaze in nearby Altadena.
A month after the fires, Tournament of Roses President Mark Leavens unveiled his theme for the 2026 celebration, “The Magic in Teamwork.” Despite a seemingly knowing nod to the teamwork required in fighting against and recovering from fire, Leavens said he had selected the theme almost a year earlier.
“The greatest achievements we have in life are not done alone,” Leavens said at the time. “I wanted a theme that would recognize those bonds that form when you’re working in a group.”
This fall, the Tournament of Roses slowly began unveiling how the unavoidable topic of the wildfires and the proximity of the Eaton fire would fold into the Rose Parade and game. The Tournament has provided thousands of tickets to fire survivors to attend the parade, Rose Bowl game and Floatfest.
In a tribute to the communities of Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu the “Rising Together” float entered by the California Community Foundation and the Black Freedom Fund will be the main acknowledgement of last January’s fires. The float features a large phoenix, California native plants, depictions of the San Gabriel Mountains and shoreline elements.
Fire survivors and representatives from nonprofits who have supported recovery will be riding on the float or walking alongside.
Nic Arnzen sits on the Altadena Town Council and lost his home in the Eaton fire. He said he’s grateful that those impacted by the fire will be able to participate in the parade.
“Honoring these families is intended to shine a light on our loss and continuing struggle. The families chosen are not alone in their loss and represent countless others who feel the same painful impact,” Arnzen said in an email. “They will beautifully carry the weight of the disaster that struck our area earlier this year and while we see them on the parade route we will really be seeing thousands of other resilient survivors.”
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) float “Food for Health” will include the co-owners of Altadena staple Fair Oaks Burger Janet and Christy Lee along with Los Angeles Fire Captain Thomas Kitahata. AHF’s Food for Health program responded to fire impacted areas to provide free hot meals.
Leavens and Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo will each by riding in vintage fire engines down the parade route. Leavens will be riding in a Pasadena Fire Department 1967 Crown Firecoach fire engine. It served at Pasadena fire stations from 1967 to 1980.
While the Eaton fire took by comparison impacted a much smaller portion of Pasadena compared to Altadena, the communities have always been inextricably linked and in the past year “Dena Strong” has been used as a rallying cry and show of unity between the neighboring communities.
Gordo will be riding in a 1937 American LaFrance fire engine alongside guests Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Pasadena firefighter/paramedic Tony Zee, Pasadena resident Vicente Ramirez and city employees Kenneth James and Malcolm Thomas who both lost their homes in the fire.
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, meanwhile, offered up a tribute to firefighters with a mayor of humor. The float, “Pancake Breakfast,” includes a giant fire truck modeled after Sierra Madre’s Fire Engine #41 pumping syrup onto a giant stack of flapjacks.
Some have criticized the float, however, saying it was too soon for such a whimsical approach, but the Sierra Madre team removed the audio and music from the presentation in response.