Marching Band at the Rose Parade

The first marching band to appear in the Rose Parade was the Monrovia Town Band in 1891, with fewer than 20 members. Today, it's not uncommon to find a 250-member band marching in the Rose Parade, and more than 50 musical groups compete for 16 openings every year.

Bands are selected approximately 14 months in advance to give the chosen groups time to raise the money needed for the trip to Pasadena. For more information, please visit our "Applications" page.