California Rose Parade honors music as universal language

The Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California, the biggest New Year’s festival in the United States, took off its hat this Tuesday to the universal language of music.

Louise Deser Siskel, Rose Queen of the 130th edition of the event, told EFE that “music is what really unites us.”

And a heartfelt tribute was dedicated to the sound of music by 40 floats, 18 equestrian groups and 19 marching bands that made up part of the Pasadena parade.

“Music has always been important to my family. We were always gathering around the piano singing songs,” Siskel said.

Laura Farber, executive vice president of the Tournament of Roses organization, told EFE that the theme of the 2019 parade, The Melody of Life, “is a very important title right now, when there’s so much division in this country and in the whole world.”

The Argentine-born Farber, who is set to become the first Latina woman to head the organization on Jan. 17, noted the importance of including some “Latino zest” in the parade.

The touch of Latino music on Tuesday was left to a marching band from Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, which played hits by the island’s biggest star, Ricky Martin.

The 2019 Rose Parade was watched Tuesday by around 800,000 people in the streets of Pasadena, while more than 70 million others watched on television.