For millions of people around the world, the Rose Parade is an iconic New Year’s Day tradition.

Not only is it a display of pageantry at its finest, but participating in the Rose Parade is the experience of a lifetime. With origins back to 1890s, the Tournament of Roses allows marching ensembles from across the globe to convene in Pasadena, California, and entertain a global audience of sports fans and fans of the arts.

The 2025 Rose Parade will take place on January 1st, 2025 in Pasadena, California. Here's a brief rundown of the 22 ensembles that will be strutting down the 5.5-mile parade route on Colorado Boulevard:

2 Rose Bowl School Bands (Oregon and TBD)

The first of the two bands participating in the Rose Parade has been announced, with the second band still to be determined (which will be the winner of the Quarter Final game between Ohio State and the University of Tennessee). First up...

The University of Oregon Marching Band

The mission of the Oregon Athletic Bands is to enhance the Oregon collegiate experience while positively representing the University of Oregon. Their high caliber musical and visual performances engage the crowd at home and abroad. The Oregon Band takes pride in their values of education and professionalism, as well as their student-led tradition of excellence as reflected in our rehearsals and public appearances. Booyah.

605 All Star Band | California, USA

The high school bands of Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District will join with those of ABC Unified to represent the schools residing along the 605 Freeway at the 2025 Rose Parade. After the pandemic downsized each of these music programs, the group realized the power in numbers and came together to build a unique composite band that had never been done before in California. The 605 All-Star Band consists of 407 students, 360 in the marching band and 47 in the color guard. It will be one of the largest bands to ever march in the Rose Parade. 

All Star Marching Band Mexico | Puebla, Mexico

All Star Marching Band from Mexico is the largest and highest ranked band in the entire country of Mexico. The band and its members are committed to bringing together the various talents across the country and developing a cohesive sound to the band. Because in Mexico the university marching band programs are so few and are between with undeveloped music programs, the All Star Marching Band from Mexico utilizes high school graduates and their talent to bring together the best musicians of the Mexican marching bands.

Banda de Música Herberto López Colegio José Daniel Crespo | Chitré, Herrera, Panama

Banda de Música Herberto López Colegio José Daniel Crespo (JDC) is the nation’s largest school band and comes from the smallest province in Panama, Chitré. The José Daniel Crespo School of Chitré was founded in 1967 by the late Professor Herberto López, the first musical director. Today, the band bears his name as a tribute to his dedication to the development of musical culture in Azuero. Band members range in age from 12-19 years, making up 10 percent of the school’s student body. They honor all regions of the country by adapting Panamanian music into their marching band musical arrangements. 

Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band | Fresno, California, USA

The Bulldog Marching Band is a performance and entertainment ensemble vital to Fresno State, Fresno State Athletics and the Central Valley of California. The band represents the state of California as the largest and winningest college marching band of its kind, having been recognized by the College Band Directors National Association as one of the country’s top eight college marching bands. The Bulldog Marching Band comprises members from every major on campus at Fresno State. The band started in 1926 and grew to more than 200 members in the mid-80s, now at its largest membership with more than 250 members.

Helsingør Pigegarde (Elsinore Girls Marching Band) | Hornbaek, Denmark

Hailing from the Scandinavian country of Denmark, the Helsingør Pigegarde (Elsinore Girls Marching Band) has been merging traditional military music with modern melodies since 1957. Traveling globally, they perform at 60 to 80 events annually, under the guidance of only three leaders in nearly 65 years. After Major Hansen's impactful 19-year tenure, the baton was passed to Herdis and Karl Koudahl, who shaped the band's direction until 2000. Leadership then transitioned seamlessly to Sanne Koudahl Bergsaker, the daughter of Herdis and Karl, ensuring the legacy continued. In Denmark, the concept of "hygge" (hyoo·guh)—denoting a warm, communal togetherness and a cherished sense of comfort and belonging—is a cornerstone of cultural identity. It's this spirit of "hygge" that the Elsinore Girls Marching Band embodies and brings to life in their performances.

Homestead High School Mighty Mustang Marching Band and Color Guard | Cupertino, California, USA

Founded in 1963, Homestead High School's award-winning Mighty Mustang Marching Band and Color Guard travel all over California to perform in marching band competitions and festivals, including the 2025 Rose Parade. Throughout its history, the band has established itself as an innovative and entertaining performance group, developing its shows and style with a modern drum corps approach. Often playing with contemporary and popular themes mixed with eclectic varieties of music, the marching band demonstrates an incredibly unique thematic style. Band members learn and perform a new show each year with new music, fresh choreography, vibrant costumes and unique props.

Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band | Kyoto, Japan

Fondly nicknamed “Orange Devils” (オレンジの悪魔), Kyoto Tachibana High School Concert Band (京都 橘高等高校 吹奏楽部) was founded by professor Hisashi Hiramatsu in 1961 and has 16 members. With the intent of improving the girls’ health, it soon evolved into one of the oldest female marching bands in Japan. The band has been invited to participate in several wide-scale entertainment projects, including playing the background band for the promotional song of the 100th Summer Kōshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship) in 2018. They collaborated with J-Pop singer Kalen Anzai in her music video in 2019, and they played on the soundtrack of the anime movie “Belle” in 2021. The music the band plays is almost entirely Western, from gospel and big band era classics to evergreen pop songs and recent chart hits with a heavy dose of Disney tunes interspersed. The band's motto is “Full of Energy, Smiles and Dreams” or” Genki Ippai, Egao Ippai, Yume Ippai” (元気いっぱい！笑顔いっぱい！夢いっぱい!). 

LAUSD All District High School Honor Band | Los Angeles, California, USA

Since its establishment in 1973, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) All-District Honor Band has provided an unparalleled opportunity for musical excellence and community representation for more than 14,000 students in the country’s second-largest school district. Most of the music teachers began their careers in LAUSD and participated in the band when they were in high school. The band works with more than 300 students from approximately 75 high schools, composed of brass and percussion musicians, drum majors, shield carriers and tall flags. They’ve performed for various national events, including NFL Super Bowl championships, MLB World Series games, and with such artists as Ringo Starr and Jon Batiste. The band’s uniforms feature the colors of America—red, white and blue—and the distinctive West Point-style military shako.

Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band | Pasadena, California, USA

The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band has marched in the Rose Parade since 1930 and proudly claims the name “The Official Band of the Tournament of Roses.” Comprising current PCC Lancer Marching Band members and select high school students from throughout Southern California, more than 500 high school music students auditioned for the 225 spots in the band. The PCC Lancer Band performs for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court Announcement ceremony, the Pasadena Latino Heritage Parade and the Pasadena Black History Parade. Other accolades include features in commercials for ESPN, a music video with Mariah Carey and a performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The group is dressed in red military-style jackets with the iconic Tournament of Roses logo on the left chest, white pants, white shoes and red shako with white plumes.

Pebble Hills High School Spartan Marching Band | El Paso, Texas, USA

Marching in uniforms of all black with silver and teal accents, the sleek and commanding presence of the Spartan Marching Band proudly represents Pebble Hills High School from El Paso, Texas. The band’s motto is, “Excellence is an art by training and habituation. This is reflected as in only the 8th year of the band’s existence; this is the first time any group from the area has been part of the Rose Parade. Composed of nearly 300 students, the band has a repertoire of accolades under its belt as most recently the marching band advanced to the UIL 6A Texas State Marching Contest, the flute choir was invited to perform at the National Flute Association conference and the group performed at the Music For All National Festival in March 2024.

Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment | Moreno Valley, California, USA

The Rancho Verde band believes that no matter the adversities, every student can succeed if given the opportunity and resources. Most of the students of Rancho Verde High School are 1st generation high school graduates and will be 1st generation college students. Rancho Verde High School is a low-income Title I school, but the students and their families are hardworking, family oriented and driven. The band is one the largest competitive field bands in Riverside County, located adjacent to March Air Force Reserve Base and Lake Perris, future home for the 2028 Olympics. Many students go on to serve in the armed forces as the band has strong ties to the military due to its close proximity to a military base, with 25 percent of students having a parent or sibling in the military. The band members have a collective diversity with 8 different languages spoken at home. In the last two decades, the group has seen tremendous growth with a small but mighty 45-person band in 2003 to more than 275 students today.

Salesians of Don Bosco Southern California High School Band | California, USA

Salesians of Don Bosco Southern California High School Band is ready to celebrate the “Best Day Ever” with a triumphant composite band featuring private school marching bands hailing locally from Los Angeles, California. President Ed Morales is proud to have attended one of the three high schools represented in this composite band: Don Bosco Technical Institute.

Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band | Seminole, Florida, USA

The Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band comes from a characteristically “tight” community. The city of Seminole, with its 19,000 residents, is regarded as a small city with an active spirit nestled in the big and busy Tampa Bay area. While some students in Seminole choose hobbies and past-times that bring them closer to the beach or fishing, the band kids affirm their passion for performing, as well as each other, by choosing the marching band. In 2017, after the devastating rampage of Hurricane Irma, the Warhawk Marching Band coordinated a city-wide “block party” that included more than 500 residents, community stakeholders and vendors to feed the lineman who had come to Florida from all over the southeast region of the nation, and who were working around the clock to restore power to homes. With over half of the city going on their 5th day without electricity, the band was able to bring the entire town together to honor these silent heroes. With the marching band playing music at the center of it all, the solidarity and gratitude of this celebration became a lasting symbol of hope as we recovered from disaster. The Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band marches proudly representing the strength of their hometown community in the 2025 Rose Parade.

The Jackson State University "Sonic Boom of the South" | Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Right off the heels of the 2024 NFL Super Bowl LVIII halftime show with Usher and Alicia Keys, the Jackson State marching band, “Sonic Boom of the South” is loud and proud to march in the 136th Rose Parade donning their signature blue and white uniforms. The marching band began in the 1940s consisting of students from both Jackson State College and Lanier High School under the direction of Mr. Kermit Holly, Sr. Known for intricate, precision marching and the big band sound, the “Sonic Boom” is referred to as “Hollywood’s Band of Choice,” having performed many halftime appearances for the NFL/NBA including the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals and the NBA All-Star game in 1991. The group was featured in television special for Motown's 30th Anniversary and the 34th NAACP Image Awards, with a guest performance by “Cedric the Entertainer.” The Jackson State University Program is world renowned, steeped in lustrous history and rich traditions, and what better place to steep rich traditions on January 1 than America’s New Year’s Day tradition of the Rose Parade.

The Lincoln-Way Marching Band | Frankfort, Illinois, USA

The history of the Lincoln-Way Bands dates to the 1950s with one high school in a small rural bedroom community in the south suburbs of Chicago. Through the years one high school turned into two in 2002 and then two into four in 2008. Through the years the Lincoln-Way Marching Band became the center of the community as students at the different schools were forced to be placed at varied schools under the direction of the school district’s ruling. The Lincoln-Way Marching Band is a district marching band composed of the students from three Lincoln-Way High Schools across 105 square miles in the LincolnWay Community High School District 210 located in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The students attend Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way West High School and are from the communities of New Lenox, Manhattan, Mokena, Frankfort Square, Frankfort and Tinley Park Illinois. As an homage to the band’s past, a logo was created showing four pillars using the “L.W.” and the four school colors: red, blue, gold and orange. This band represents the willingness of students to be brave and build a community to find hope in the face of extreme change.

The New England Honors Marching Band | New England Area, USA

The New England Honors Marching Band is a composite band comprising the best college and high school musicians from New England. The band is a 200-piece ensemble with winds, percussion, and a flag and dance team. Representing 15 colleges from across New England, the group’s first time being together occurs less than a week before the 2025 Rose Parade. The band will don uniforms handcrafted to resemble that of the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, similar to those used by military musicians of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies which included the New England Colonies consisting of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Alongside Maine and Vermont, these states are represented in this comprised honors band brought together just for the 2025 Rose Parade.

The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band | Ranchos Palos Verdes, California, USA

The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band is celebrating its 103rd march down Colorado Boulevard in the Rose Parade. The group will again have a “band within a band,” including a special guest Salvation Army Band ensemble from Bromley, a large town in Greater London, England. The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band consists of Salvation Army musicians from across the United States, meeting for the first time during the week of the Rose Parade. With their marching Timbrellists and uplifting music, parade spectators can expect to see them entertaining along the parade route. Salvation Army music ministries provide participants with a lifetime of fulfillment through musical excellence with spiritual purpose.

The University of Wyoming "Western Thunder" Marching Band | Laramie, Wyoming, USA

The University of Wyoming "Western Thunder" Marching Band is the only college band in the state. The band is made up of students from nearly every academic major on campus and represents 13 different states. A unique attribute to the group’s band uniform is their custom modified Resistol cowboy hats with the branded initials of Western Thunder Marching Band representing the cowboy and cowgirl culture in the state. After some recent years of director turnover and membership struggle, the band hired Joe Carver in 2019, its 4th director in 5 years. Entering the 5th season under the program’s longest leadership direction in a while, the students, faculty, staff and community of the University of Wyoming are thrilled to show the world about the pride of the State of Wyoming.

United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band | California, USA

The United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band is a combined military band composed of U.S. Marines from the 1st Marine Division Band, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band and Marine Band San Diego. Donning the dress blue uniform, these marine musicians are fully combat trained, and many have completed military tours overseas. To become a musician in the Marine Corps, recruits go through an extensive audition process and additional schooling. Although these bands perform individually more than 300 times a year, the Rose Parade is the only event that brings these elite musicians together at the same time. The drum major for the United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band is Gunnery Sergeant Geoffrey A. Parks.

For more information about the programs participating in this year's Rose Parade, click here!