Look very closely, but don’t touch. Many people braved the cold, camping out overnight and trekking dark mornings in Pasadena to get the perfect view of the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade. But others wait for the post-parade experience that gets them a few feet away from the festive floats that just before road 5.5 miles through the city. Floatfest, a showcase of all 39 floats in the 2025 Rose Parade, gives spectators an up-close and personal look at the parade’s main attractions. People learn more about what goes into creating the floats, take selfies with their favorite designs and more during the three-day event that started just after the parade on Jan. 1. Visitors pose for a photo while viewing floats on display during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) An alligator sits atop the Explore Louisiana float during Floatfest Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Images of deceased donors are depicted on the OneLegacy Donate Life float during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Cal Poly Universities’ 2025 Rose Parade float, “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs” is displayed during Floatfest following the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Replicas of red pandas Lucas and Adira are featured on San Diego Zoo’s float which won the Sweepstakes Award during the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2025. The float can be viewed at Floatfest through Friday.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) The “Kindness is Free” float is on display with other floats from the 2025 Rose Parade during Floatfest in Pasadena.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Honda’s “Electrified Dream’s” float is on display at Floatfest following the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Dried apricots are used on Love 2 Yeu’s float entry in the 2025 Rose Parade. Floats are displayed at Floatfest through Jan. 3, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Glinda is featured on the Wicked float during the 2025 FloatFest following the Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Floatfest draws a large crowd following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Cal Poly Universities’ 2025 Rose Parade float, “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs” is displayed during Floatfest following the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) The U.S. Army’s float which celebrates the Army’s history and commitment to safeguarding the nation is displayed during FloatFest Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) A tiger sits atop San Diego Zoo’s float which won the Sweepstakes Award during the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2025. The float can be viewed at Floatfest through Friday.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Visitors pose for a photo while viewing floats on display during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) The Explore Louisiana float draws a crowd during Floatfest Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) An alien on La Canada Flintridge’s float “Rover Rendezvous” is displayed during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) The Kiwanis International float “Being Together” is displayed during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Floatfest draws a large crowd following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) The Rotary Rose Parade Float was awarded the “Tournament Volunteer Award” and is on display during the 2025 FloatFest.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Visitors admire the beauty of a float during Floatfest Jan. 1, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 20Visitors pose for a photo while viewing floats on display during FloatFest following the 2025 Rose Parade.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer) Expand Usually 70,000 people make their way to Sierra Madre and Washington Boulevards to view the floats after the Rose Parade each year. But this time around, 120,000 people are expected over the three days, officials said on Wednesday. Also see full Rose Parade coverage here On day one, spectators waited in line on Sierra Madre Boulevard, curving onto the intersecting Paloma Street. “The sun is shining, there’s music, it’s nice,” said Floatfest-goer Norah Glass as she waited in line to enter. She and her father, Will Glass, were looking forward to seeing Illinois’ float that featured Wrigley Field, a nod to their hometown. They picked other favorites to view, like “Wicked,” after watching the parade on TV Wednesday morning. The event continued Thursday, a crisp and sunny day, and folks have one more chance on Friday, Jan. 3 to get a first-hand view of the floats. At the pre-weekend event, there’s live entertainment, a video wall, food trucks, a bar and beer and wine garden on top of the float-viewing. There’s also a scavenger hunt where attendees can collect trading cards from nine floats, marked on the event maps. Folks can get close enough to smell the fresh flowers see the details on each float that parade goers couldn’t catch, like rice and other grains pieced together to create mosaic tiles on the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association’s “Fiesta!” design. But the floats are still barricaded off so people can’t pick off flowers, climb or otherwise damage the parade-crafts that took nearly a year to create. Spokespeople were stationed at most floats, on hand to answer questions, and winning floats had their award titles displayed by them. Booths representing the organizations that entered floats also doled out information about their respective missions, like Coding for Veterans‘ program that teaches retired military personnel a new technical skill. Explore Louisiana, which has now participated in the Rose Parade for four years now, gave away wooden roux spoons, alligator and Mardi Gras beads, mask and alligator pins, Cajun seasoning and more to visitors during Floatfest on Jan. 1. “Floatfest is a wonderful opportunity to show the SoCal audience what Louisiana is all about,” said Charlie Whinham, spokesperson for the Louisiana Office of Tourism. “The folks at Floatfest love Louisiana; we were working over four hours non-stop handing out gift bags wishing everyone a happy new year and happy Mardi Gras.” “We love a parade,” he added, touting Mardi Gras season beginning Jan. 6 and Louisiana being known for its more than 400 fairs and festivals held annually across the state. Parts of taller floats like Go Bowling and Honda’s Electrified Dreams were turned back upright once they made it to the showcase, as their peaks had to be bent backward during the final stretch of the parade in order to dip underneath the 210 freeway overpass at Sierra Madre Boulevard. Much more than just roses, some of the types of flowers that typically adorn the moving masterpieces are orchids, irises, daisies, carnations, hydrangeas and more. Other common materials used to build floats are lentils, cocoa sticks, moss, cranberry seeds, cabbage seeds, onion seeds and much more. Some entries tied the materials to the mission of the organizations they represented. The CORE Kidney Foundation’s “It’s In Your Hands: It Takes 2” float, for example, had the kidney disease awareness organization’s name spelled out in red kidney beans. If you go Floatfest continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 at Sierra Madre and Washington Boulevards in Pasadena. Tickets are $25 online only; free for children 5 and younger. Park and ride shuttles take people to and from the festival at Pasadena City College, and 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, as well as the PCC extension lot, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. Related Articles News | Torrance celebrates another Rose Parade float win, and a sigh of relief getting to end of route News | These Inland Empire groups were in the 136th Rose Parade, here’s what it looked like News | There’s still time to see and do these 3 seasonal activities in Southern California, before they go away News | See how 2025 Rose Parade floats, bands, equestrian units dipped under 210 Freeway in Pasadena News | Check out our best photos from 2025 Rose Parade