Largest New Year celebration in U.S. West held with rose parade

Vanessa Natalie Manjarrez (C) reigns as Rose Queen during the 124th Annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, the United States, Jan. 1, 2013. (Xinhua/Yang Lei).

The largest New Year celebration in the U.S. West was held here Tuesday morning with an estimated one million spectators watching the world famous Rose Parade along the 5.5-mile route and about 39 million viewers on television.

The traditional New Year celebration that can be traced back to 124 years ago in Pasadena, California, has gradually become a nation-wide event with world participation.

People came from different parts of the country, some from other countries, to watch the parade of 42 floats, all decorated with roses and fresh flowers and cost between 100,000 to 400,000 dollars each to be built.

The parade provided a best chance for people to participate and celebrate along the 5.5-mile Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. The route has actually become a camping site since the New Year's Eve with many people sleeping along the street to wait for the parade starts at 8:00 a.m.(1600 GMT).

Joe, a man in his 40s, told Xinhua that he came from Palm Spring, a small town about 150 miles away with his girl friend and two other friends. He said he slept on the street with a blanket to keep warm. "It is my first time to watch the parade, but several years ago I volunteered to decorate the float and dreamed that I would have a chance to watch those floats on parade," said Joe.

He said float is not the only thing he cares about but the people and the atmosphere along the parade route.

"It is a good way to celebrate the New Year," said Joe, who has paid 180 dollars for a ticket to watch the Rose Bowl American football game after the parade.

Unlike Joe, another lady at her 70s got up at 5:00 a.m. to drive with her nephew about one hour from Santa Monica to watch the parade. The lady said it is her first time and she found it very interesting. Although the weather was chilly in the early morning, she enjoyed to be there and felt the warm atmosphere.

The 124th Tournament of Roses Parade procession included 42 floral floats, 23 marching bands and 21 equestrian units.

This year saw more international participation. China Airlines from China's Taiwan sent its float "Cycling Through Paradise," and won the International Award.

The float looks very attractive with a pagoda as the main scene and red-crowned crane to demonstrate the beauty of Taiwan's tourist attractions. This is the 27th year that China Airlines has sent float to the parade.

China's Beijing No. 57 High School has sent 99 students to joint the Valley Christian High School band in San Jose, California, for the parade. The Chinese costume and Chinese style flag waving and performance won applauses along the route. It is the first time Chinese students came for a Rose Parade band.

This year's parade theme is "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" and the parade was proceeded with a wedding on top of a float, a little boy reunited with his father returning from military service in Afghanistan, and a bat-winged Stealth Bomber flyby over the sky.

Famed chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall served as grand marshal.

It was highlighted by a young couple pronounced "husband and wife'' in front of the grandstands and on national television.

Nicole and Gerald from Chesapeake, Virginia, were aboard Farmers Insurance's "The Love Float" to become the first people married during the Rose Parade.

The parade was proceeded without major trouble. Pasadena police reported no major problems. A total of 22 people had been arrested along the parade route since 6 p.m. Monday evening (0200 GMT, Tuesday), and the police said it was normal.