Rose Parade Draws Record Post-Pandemic Crowds, But Bowl Game Attendance Dips

The 2025 Rose Parade saw a surge in spectator numbers to a post-pandemic high, while attendance at the Rose Bowl Game dropped, according to statistics released by Pasadena and the Tournament of Roses on Thursday and Friday.

An estimated 800,000 people lined the streets of the city to watch the iconic New Year’s Day parade, marking a noticeable increase from the previous year’s turnout of 750,000.

But Rose Bowl Game attendance fell to 90,732, dropping from last year’s 96,371.

City of Pasadena spokesperson Lisa Derderian reported that security incidents were minimal at Parade. The crowd was orderly. Derderian said eight people were arrested during the parade for participating in a demonstration violating Pasadena Municipal Code 3.22.020(B), which prohibits interference with special events.

All were booked at the Pasadena Jail and later released with citations.

Medical teams handled 36 emergency calls during the parade, with seven requiring hospital transport.

The Rose Bowl Game reported zero arrests.

The Game marked a historic shift as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, part of the newly expanded 12-team CFP format. The new format also introduced a shorter pre-Game schedule.

78 medical personnel were stationed at the Rose Bowl Stadium – including 35 Pasadena Fire Department staff, 16 EMSR staff, seven Red Cross workers, and 20 from outside agencies. The respondents managed 170 casual contacts and 44 treat-and-release cases, with 11 people requiring hospital transport.

City emergency response operations spanned three major events, Derderian said: the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl Game, and  Floatfest – requiring 110 Pasadena personnel, many of whom worked multiple venues.

The Parade deployment included 103 emergency responders from agencies including Pasadena, Burbank, Culver City, Glendale, LAFD, LA County Fire, La Verne Fire, Monrovia, Torrance, San Marino, West Covina, and Ambuserve, an ambulance service company based in Gardena.

Floatfest, staffed by 33 personnel, generated 11 calls and one transport on New Year’s Day.

The events required coordination among numerous agencies, including Pasadena Fire, Pasadena Police, LA County Sheriff’s, California Highway Patrol, the FBI, the Disaster Management Area Coordinator, the Office of Emergency Services, LA County Medical Alert Center, National Weather Service, LA County, LA City, Pasadena Emergency Management, Pasadena Press Information Office, Verdugo Dispatch, Pasadena Police Dispatch, LA County Sheriff’s Dispatch, Department of Transportation, Pasadena Water and Power, Depart,emt of Information Technology, the Tournament of Roses, and American Red Cross.