What to Know
- The 135th Rose Parade presented by Honda will take place on Jan. 1, 2024
- "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language" is the 2024 theme
- The new theme was revealed at a special Tournament House presentation on Jan. 19
The Rose Parade is a centuries-spanning story that can be told in many ways, but approaching it through the lens of time is always an intriguing way of telling its tale.
Consider that a petal placed on a Rose Parade float will only remain fresh for a few days but prepping for the pomp-packed Pasadena party?
That is an outsized endeavor that encompasses the better part of a year.
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So it may surprise some people to learn that the team behind the world-famous spectacular moves forward in fast fashion, just weeks after the last parade has wrapped.
And less than three weeks after the 2023 Rose Parade presented by Honda took place, we now know the theme for the 2024 extravaganza, thanks to a reveal at the Tournament House on the evening of Jan. 19.
It's a stirring, sound-tastic subject that is sure to win hearts along the parade route and around the planet: "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language" will be the theme of the parade, which will again return to Jan. 1 after recently taking place on Jan. 2 (Jan. 1, 2023 fell on a Sunday, and the Rose Parade never happens on a Sunday).
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Alex Aghajanian, the Tournament of Roses Association's newly installed President and Chairman of the Board, made the much-anticipated announcement on Jan. 19.
"The 2024 theme brings us together through music," shared Mr. Aghajanian from the steps of the Tournament House, a landmark located just south of the parade's starting point at Orange Grove Boulevard and Green Street.
"In a world of different cultures, beliefs, hopes, and dreams, one language unites us all — music."
"The sound, texture, rhythm, form, harmony, and expression meld together to move, soothe, excite and delight the world," explained Aghajanian.
"From bossa nova to blues, classical to country, metal to mariachi and rock to rap, thousands of genres invite us to become one in celebrating a world of music.
"Whether near or far, young or old, we invite you to year-long festivities that culminate on New Year’s Day at the Rose Parade. Let the music begin!"
Within a few months, fans will see the first float skeletons coming together, and more festive events and reveals popping up as summer winds down and fall arrives. For all of your Rose Parade needs, including more about the new theme, visit the event's social sites now.
