A Rose by Any Other Name: Road Scholar Ambassadors Love the Rose Parade®
It's the dazzling explosion of color, creativity and tradition that kicks off the New Year with a bang. It’s the flower-covered floats like moving masterpieces, bands marching to lively tunes and the palpable, infectious excitement of the crowd. It's the blend of nostalgia and spectacle, where every bloom tells a story, and every step feels like a celebration. The Rose Parade® in Pasadena, California, isn’t just a parade — it's a communal experience that brings people together.
We talked to three members of Road Scholar’s Ambassador Team, a group passionate alumni who help spread the word about our not-for-profit mission to inspire adults to learn, discover and travel — and as you’d imagine, they were equally passionate about their Road Scholar Rose Parade® experience.
“Now when I watch the Rose Parade®, I get to relive it,” says ambassador Kelly E. Since experiencing Rose Parade®: A Heritage to Celebrate, she sees the parade on New Year’s Day differently. “And every year, that experience has more depth, more meaning.”
That meaning is compounded by the circumstances that led her to choose the Rose Parade® program originally. “My husband was in hospice,” Kelly says. “My daughter said, ‘mom you need to get out and go, just go.’ Because I had traveled with Road Scholar before, I knew I’d be comfortable traveling solo — you travel by yourself, but you’re never alone, even during meals,” she explains. “You eat with everyone — round tables are the key. I love that Road Scholar had round tables.”
Fascinated by the parade and its incredible floats since childhood, when Kelly put in the dates she wanted to travel and the Rose Parade® program popped up, it was an easy choice. “Oh my god,” she says, remembering. “It was meant to be.”
Another ambassador, Cecilia F., had been fascinated by the Rose Parade® since she was a little girl. “I used to watch it in black and white,” she remembers. “But to see it in person and participate, well, that’s something I’ve had on my life list that I can now check off.”
Ambassador Jean A. couldn’t agree more. “Ever since I was a child, I wanted to experience the parade.”
Across the board, these three ambassadors were intoxicated by the masses of fresh flowers and natural materials used to create the incredibly complex, often life-like floats. “Everything is natural,” Kelly says. “Nothing is manufactured.”
“Decorating a float was a dream,” Cecilia agrees. “And they love having Road Scholars come — we’re so dependable, we work so hard and we take it seriously!”
Jean says, “My favorite part was the day after the parade, standing next to these floats during Floatfest, just seeing how they were made. I would go on this program again just to see those floats!”
Cecilia and friends
“The joy of the Rose Parade® program is that you literally relive it every year. It was such an impactful experience,” says Kelly. And though the number of participants is large, around 400, participants were broken down into smaller groups. “It felt like the perfect size, small enough that you get to know each other and the Group Leaders knew our names. You really have a chance to talk to people and hear really great stories of why they went.”
Jean agrees. “It’s big, but definitely not impersonal. It’s the perfect program for someone traveling with Road Scholar for the first time.”
Those intimate group experiences really kept Kelly from feeling alone on the program. Jean and Cecilia felt that camaraderie too, but they both also attended with family. Cecilia’s sister fulfilled her own Rose Parade® dream, while Jean learned how well everyone could participate, even if they faced physical challenges.
“It’s a great program for everyone,” she says. “If people want to go, they should go, no matter what!”
Jean and Mary
Cecilia agrees. “Just go! It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity — you get to put your mark on these incredible floats, meet some great people and bask in all this wonderful camaraderie.”
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Kelly advises. “It opens your eyes and your world, plus all those roses — the scent! It was so beautiful. And everyone you’ve met along the way, like the bands
and the equestrians, wave to you in your grandstand during the parade. It’s a special experience.”
“Road Scholar always takes me someplace no one else would,” Jean adds. “Whether behind the scenes or learning from an expert, there’s always something extra.”
Have a Rose Parade® experience to share? Is it on your wish list? Join the conversation — and the community — on Facebook.