Go Metro to All 2008 Tournament of Roses® Festivities 
• Passport to World Celebrations: Metro to run trains all night long New Year’s Eve to make getting to Rose Parade® easy. Free rides will be offered from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Video
Attention parade goers from around the world: Go Metro to all New Year’s and Tournament of Roses festivities in Pasadena!
With Parade traffic in Pasadena choking streets and freeways, Metro Rail remains the single best way to enjoy all Tournament activities for locals and out-of-town enthusiasts alike.
The 2008 Rose Parade themed “Passport to the World’s Celebrations” will include a full gamut of proud marching bands, beautiful floats and high-stepping equestrian units.
“Unless you are fortunate enough to ride on a float, Metro is definitely the preferred method of transportation for getting to the Rose Parade,” said 2008 Rose Queen Dusty Gibbs.
Metro provides easy transport into Pasadena via the Metro Gold Line, which, along with all Metro Rail lines, will operate all night long to transport parade goers. As an added incentive, Metro will be offering free train rides starting at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 2 a.m. the following morning. Patrons attending parade festivities after 2 a.m. will need to purchase fare. A $5 Metro Day Pass will make attending the festivities easy.
“The Metro Gold Line is now in its fifth official year of Parade service, and we’re quite proud to now be an important part of the Tournament tradition,” said Roger Snoble, Metro CEO. “We’re hoping a brand new, international audience discovers the ease and convenience of Los Angeles’ growing public transit network while they’re in town for these world-renowned parade events.”
The 119th Rose Parade will take place Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008 beginning at 8 a.m. Train lines will operate all night Monday at 20 minute headways to facilitate travel throughout L.A. County.
To accommodate a greater number of Metro Gold Line riders to and from Pasadena, Metro will run additional trains on the Metro Gold Line beginning at 5 a.m. until approximately 9 p.m.
Parade goers can access any of four Pasadena train stations: Memorial Park and Del Mar stations are about two blocks from the Parade route; the Lake and Allen stations are approximately four blocks from the Parade route.
Parking is available at several Metro Gold Line Stations, including Sierra Madre Villa (950 free spaces), Del Mar (600 paid spaces), Fillmore (131 free spaces), Mission (122 spaces), Heritage Square/Arroyo (145 free spaces), Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park (91 free spaces) and Union Station (2,000+ paid spaces).
The public may view the floats after the Parade at Post Parade: A Showcase of Floats via Metro Rail. Shuttles will be provided from the Sierra Madre Villa Metro Gold Line Station on January 1 to the Post Parade venue beginning at 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Shuttle service from the Post Parade venue back to the Sierra Madre Villa Station will continue to 5:30pm. On January 2 shuttle service from the station to the Post Parade venue begins at 7 a.m. for seniors and disabled, 9 a.m. for general public and ends at 3 p.m. Service from the Post Parade venue to Sierra Madre Villa Station will continue until 5:30 p.m. Shuttle buses will pick up passengers every five to ten minutes from the station during these times. The cost to ride is a regular fare plus a transfer.
The 94th Rose Bowl Game between the University of Illinois Fighting Illini and the University of Southern California Trojans will kick off at 2:10 p.m. Sports fans attending this game can also utilize the Metro Gold Line and exit at Memorial Park Station. They can then walk a short distance down Holly Street to the Parsons parking lot at 100 West Walnut Street to catch a free game shuttle starting at 10 a.m.
Metro does not allow eating, drinking or smoking on board Metro trains or buses. To ensure public safety, Metro prohibits the following items from being brought on board the Metro Bus or Rail system: flammable products, barbecues and oversized items such as ladders, umbrellas, tents, chairs and coolers.
For additional information, call the Metro information line at 1-800-COMMUTE (266-6883).
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