116th parade themed ‘Celebrate Family’
By Daily Press staff
When it comes to the 2005 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl, Santa Monica’s local bus line will do more than just drive.
The Big Blue Bus — which regularly carries passengers to far-off locales like Union Station, LAX and the Hollywood Bowl — won’t just take hundreds of riders to the festivities in Pasadena on Saturday, it also will sell them a seat.
A $67 ticket buys free parking at the Civic Center in downtown Santa Monica, a ride to Pasadena and grandstand seating to watch the parade. A $22 ticket covers transportation alone. Seats to the sold-out football game were sold separately by the Rose Bowl.
The Big Blue Bus also offered transportation to and from the game directly for $27 and $80 packages that included grandstand parade seating and transportation to and from Santa Monica, as well as between the parade and Rose Bowl. Several tickets still were available Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Jose Barba, customer service supervisor for the bus line, said he expected sales to top 500 tickets, with about 50 people going just to the game, 100 people going to the game and the parade, and another 350 people going to the parade alone.
Added Dan Dawson, a bus line spokesman: “Our ‘Getaways’ programs to the Rose Bowl is the simple, stress-free way to avoid the traffic and parking issues, and just enjoy the fun. It is a perfect family outing and great fun for out-of-town guests”
The Tournament of Roses is a celebration more than a century old — a festival of flowers, music and sports. The 116th Rose Parade, themed “Celebrate Family,” will feature floral floats, high-stepping equestrian units and marching bands from around the country. The 91st Rose Bowl Game pits the third-ranked University of Michigan against the fourth-ranked University of Texas.
Promotional material for the nationally televised event, which draws tens of thousands of fans annually, calls the tournament “more than just a parade and football game. It’s America’s New Year celebration, and a salute to the community spirit and love of pageantry that have thrived in Pasadena for more than a century.”
For more information about bus service to the Tournament of Roses, call (310) 451-5444 or stop by the Big Blue Bus offices at 612 Colorado Ave. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 30, 2004. Read the original PDF.