Less than a week out, Rose Parade officials confident event will happen
PASADENA, Calif. - Macaroon, coconut, and onion seed. Cilantro. Lentils. Lots of glue. And, of course, all kinds of flowers.
All for the 2022 Rose Parade. And if you had any doubts, parade officials say short of a state lockdown — which no one is expecting — there will be a parade and Rose Bowl Game.
David Eads, the Executive Director and CEO of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association says while the parade will be all about entertainment, it will also be about everyone's health!
"We’ve worked very closely with the Pasadena Health Department," Eads said. "We are asking everybody in our parade — all our participants — to provide proof of vaccination," He’s talking about 6,600 people in the bands, and on floats, horses, etc. "We’ve received proof of vaccination from more than 90% of our participants."
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The remaining 10% will have to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours if they want to march in the New Year’s Day Parade. Proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours will also be required at the bleachers at Orange Grove and Colorado boulevards. There will be three public testing sites there for those who need them. The same goes for the game. Lot H is where you’ll find testing ahead of kickoff.
Back where there’s float-making happening, protocols are in place, like showing proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of participating; social distancing where possible; and of course, masks!
With regard to the mask-wearing, volunteer Sue Derosier says, "you gotta do your part," while Krystal Morales says, "it’s fine," as long as everyone is doing their part with hand sanitizing, social distancing, and mask-wearing. So as the countdown toward New Year’s Day continues, volunteers protecting themselves and being safe are doing what volunteers have done for years… dressing up the floats - carefully!
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