Rose Parade marching band grant helps musicians from Cerritos and La Mirada to El Paso and Seminole

High school bands and musicians from throughout Southern California will receive the Tournament of Roses inaugural band grant, to help offset the cost of participating in the parade on Jan. 1, the Tournament announced this week.

“Marching bands are, and will always be, an essential part of the Rose Parade,” said 2025 Tournament of Roses Association President Ed Morales. “As I’ve traveled across the U.S., as well as to Mexico, Panama, Japan and Denmark, to meet each of the 2025 bands, I’ve seen their absolute excitement about being in the Parade; but I’ve also come to understand the financial hurdles that many of them must overcome to make that appearance a reality.”

• Related story: Tournament of Roses announces marching bands for 2025 Rose Parade

This year, a total of $27,600 goes to an array of bands and band member recipients to support the equipment, preparation and travel expenses incurred to participate in the Rose Parade.

Recipient bands are:

• the 605 All Star Band – a 500-person composite band featuring eight high school bands representing the seven cities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Lakewood and Norwalk, and three school districts, all residing along the 605 Freeway in Southern California;
• the Salesians of Don Bosco Southern California High School Band – a 100-person band consisting of the three high schools of Don Bosco Technical High School, Salesian High School and St. John Bosco High School, from Rosemead, Boyle Heights, and Bellflower, respectively;
• the Los Angeles Unified School District All District High School Honor Band – a 365-person band from the country’s second-largest school district, representing 52 high schools;
• the Pebble Hills High School Spartan Marching Band – a 270-person band from El Paso, Texas; and
• the Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band – a 130-person band from Seminole, Fla.

Band member recipients include:

• a student from Pebble Hills High School Spartan Marching Band;
• a student from the 605 All Star Band; and
• a student from Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band.

As high-profile as Rose Parade floats are, bands remain a big part of the annual parade.

About 20 bands participate each year, comprising more than 5,000 musicians. Most are students. They travel to Pasadena. While the Tournament of Roses does not charge a participation fee, travel and related costs can range from 2,500 to $5,000 per student. They added up even when most bands fundraise for more than a year to finance their trip to the parade.

They are part of a long tradition, which dates back to 1891, when the Monrovia City Band joined the procession, back then flower-covered pony carts in the second Tournament of Roses Parade. Since then, officials say hundreds of thousands of musicians have made the famous march.

They are selected based on criteria including musicianship, marching ability, uniqueness and entertainment value.

Organizers put a premium on bands that can perform field show maneuvers while marching.

This year, in addition to the grant recipients, bands will include the All Star Marching Band Mexico — Puebla, Mexico; Banda de Música Herberto López Colegio José Daniel Crespo — Chitré, Herrera, Panama; Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band — Fresno; Homestead High School Mighty Mustang Marching Band & Colorguard — Cupertino; Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band — Kyoto, Japan; Pasadena City College Herald Trumpets; and the Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band — Carson, among others.

And for those who got the grant?

“We understand that the grants don’t eliminate the hurdles, we do hope they help make the road to Pasadena a little smoother for these valued Parade participants,” Morales said.