Medieval Times Meets the Tournament of Roses Royal Court

We recently attended a celebration honoring the 25th year of the partnership between Medieval Times and the Tournament of the Roses. Medieval Times have been equestrian participants for more than 25 years. Each year as part of the tradition, the Rose Parade Royal Court, along with officials make their way down to the Buena Park arena for a special dinner and performance. The Royal Court were then invited to tour the Buena Park Castle, attend a reception, as well as stay and enjoy the dinner show.

Rose Queen Erika Karen Winter and the six Rose Princesses were treated to an evening of horsemanship, chivalry and exciting swordplay.

Rose Queen Erika and the Royal Court will make as many as 100 community and media appearances, culminating with the 127th Rose Parade presented by Honda and the 102nd Rose Bowl Game^® presented by Northwestern Mutual on New Year’s Day.

Medieval Times
Buena Park Castle
7662 Beach Blvd Buena Park, California
(866) 543-9637
medievaltimes.com/buenapark.aspx

Showcase of Floats- Viewing the Rose Parade Floats after the Parade

Rose Parade-Showcase of floats

Ever wonder what happens to the floats after the Rose Parade? or you couldn’t make it to the parade and you are itching to take a close and personal look at the beautiful floats -head over to the end of the Rose Parade route and be prepared for a breathtaking display. After every Rose Parade, the floats are parked along Sierra Madre and Washington Blvds in Pasadena and exhibited for visitors to walk by and see in close detail the design and workmanship that goes into these floats. Visitors are able to walk within a few feet of the floats and appreciate for themselves the creativity and the imagination of the floral displays. Here are some tips to make your visit to the Showcase of Floats as enjoyable as possible

1. Street parking near the event is very limited. I would strongly recommend to park at one of the park and ride lots and take a shuttle to the floats. Shuttle service will be available from three locations in Pasadena. Guests using shuttles enter the event through a priority line. Shuttle fare is $3 per person round trip, and children five and under ride free.

2. There are three park and ride lots. One is located at the Rose Bowl- North Arroyo Blvd and Seco St. Parking lot H- The Rose Bowl lot will only be available on January 2nd. The second location is at Pasadena City College-1570 E Colorado Blvd(enter off Del Mar blvd. near corner of Hill St). The third location is at the Community Education Center – 3035 E Foothill Blvd(enter Foothill Ave, West of Sierra Madre Villa). Ticket booths at the three park and ride locations will sell shuttle and admission tickets from 12-3pm on New Year’s Day and from 9am to 3pm on Jan 2nd.

3. General admission is $10 . Children 5 and under are free. Cash and credit cards are accepted

4. Hours are as follows: Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.* (general admission)Jan. 2, 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (senior citizens and disabled visitors)Jan. 2, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.* (general admission)* ticket sales and guest admittance end at 3:00 p.m., venue closes at 5:00 p.m.

5. When you enter the viewing area make sure to pick up a brochure for float layout information.

6. Make sure to wear comfy clothes and shoes. There is plenty of walking involved in viewing the floats. Also if you will be bringing young children make sure to bring a stroller or wagon.

7. Bring plenty of water. There is a lot of walking involved and it will definitely come in handy.

8. Be prepared for a magical experience!! You will be amazed by the breathtaking beauty and detail of each float. I hope you all have a wonderful 2011!!! Happy New Year!!

Rose Parade Viewing tips

If you are thinking of heading out to Pasadena to view the 2010Tournament of Roses Parade- here’s a list of tips to make it a fun and comfortable experience

1. Layer up- The high for New Year’s Day is supposed to hit a high of 70 degrees- but it is very chilly at night and in the early morning. Dress in layers so that you can easily remove a layer or two when it starts to warm up. If you’re bringing little ones I would also bring scarves, gloves, a blanket and mittens
. 2. Overnight camping is permitted only on the night before the parade. Do not arrive before noon the day before the parade.
3. If you plan on camping – bring plenty of blankets, sleeping bags and pillows. You are also allowed to bring a small barbecue. You may not bring tents or start any form of bonfire.
4. If you are camping be prepared for a sleepless night. I’ve camped out a couple of times with my family and didn’t sleep a wink. The crowd also gets a bit rowdy. I really wouldn’t recommend camping out if you have small children.
5. If you would like to view the parade in style and be as comfortable as possible- splurge on grandstand tickets. For more info click here- Tickets are still available.
6. If you are light sensitive make sure to sit on the west side of the street
7. The Tournament of Roses Parade follows the same route every year: Starting on Ellis St., it heads north on S. Orange Grove Blvd., then east on Colorado Blvd, north (left turn) on Sierra Madre Blvd., and ending at Paloma Street.- Plan ahead to determine where you would like to seat- also there is no public, curbside parade viewing on Orange Grove Blvd. from Del Rosa to Colorado Blvd. and on Colorado from Orange Grove to Terrace. Grandstand ticket holders only.
8. If you would like to see the parade live in person, but have small children or the idea of camping out seems like a nightmare- this might be for you- Our friends suggested to leave about 30-45 minutes before the parade starts and head over to the end of the parade – on Sierra Madre blvd. You can easily find a spot without having to camp out.
9. Parking can be a nightmare. You can park in residential areas but be prepared for a walk. You can also pay anywhere between 10-25 dollars and park close up to the parade route in any of the private lots. If you are planning on this make sure you bring cash.
10. The parade starts at 8am sharp and is approximately 2 and a half hours long.
11. Bring plenty of water and snacks. If you have little ones- bring them along in a wagon and store your supplies in the wagon.
12. If you would still like to view the floats close up but can’t make it out to the parade don’t worry- Buy tickets for the best and most interesting part of the Rose Parade: float viewing. You can get closer to the floats and talk to their builders here. Crowds will be smaller if you can arrive immediately when they open on the morning after the parade. Use an area park-and-ride lot, or if you have a carful of people, try for one of the paid lots near Pasadena High School. I will be covering this in a later post.