For the Tournament of Roses Parade, top marching bands from all over the world are invited. Many of the nation's top high school marching bands participate, along with college and organizational marching bands.
The bands participating in the parade have also developed traditions. For example, Pasadena City College's Lancer Marching Band always marches in the Rose Parade, along with high school band and color guard students from all over Southern California, who are selected by audition the previous autumn. The Tournament of Roses Honor Band is a coveted position, and those selected are among the best student musicians in California. Nine of the high school trumpet players, selected by performance on their auditions, and the best snare drummer, are selected as the Herald Trumpets, who march directly before the Rose Queen's float and play fanfares.
University marching bands from the two schools participating in the Rose Bowl Game are invited to march in the parade. They typically accompany the floats that represent the conferences.
In 1891, the Monrovia Town Band was the first musical group to perform in the Rose Parade.
Bands that have a long-standing arrangement to be in the parade include:
The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band
The Los Angeles Unified School District All District High School Honor Band
The Salvation Army marching band (89th appearance in 2009)
The United States Marine Corps marching band
In 1980, the Grambling Marching Band was the first HBCU band invited to the Rose Bowl Parade and the first HBCU band to lead the parade.
In 1998, the Washington Township High School Minutemen Marching Band from Sewell, New Jersey, became the first band in the history of the Rose Parade to decorate its entire ranks with live flowers, in keeping with the practice of decorating the parade floats. Designed by Todd Marcocci, this unique concept and design approach received tremendous support from all major media around the world. Since then, several bands have followed suit.
Bandfest
Also, most of the bands participate in Bandfest, which is sponsored by Remo, where bands perform their field shows at Pasadena City College's Mack and Jackie Robinson Stadium over two days. Bandfest consists of three shows (one in the first day and two on the second day). A percussion group from Remo leads a drum circle with the audience, who have received complementary Remo drumheads and sticks prior to the event. The Pasadena City College Honor Band and Herald Trumpets perform first, followed by other bands. All bands are invited to perform at Bandfest, but all do not necessarily perform (typically the university bands involved in the Rose Bowl Game). The band members are treated to lunch from In-N-Out Burger with on-site kitchen-trailers.
Aguilas Doradas Marching Band, Puebla, Mexico
Alhambra Unified School District Band
Ballou Senior High School Band
Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment Marching Band
Broken Arrow High School
Golden Valley High School
Hawaii All State Marching Band
Homewood Patriot Marching Band, Homewood, Alabama
Honor Band of America
Liberty High School Grenadier Band (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
Los Angeles Unified All District Honor Band
McQueen High School Band
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band
Penn State University Marching Blue Band (Rose Bowl participant)
Prairie View A&M University
Riverside Community College Marching Tiger Band
The Royal British Legion Youth Band Brentwood
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band
Science Hill High School
U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band (Rose Bowl participant)
Banda Musical Latina Pedro Molina (Guatemala)
Conroe High School (Texas) Tiger Band
Danvers High School (Massachusetts) Falcon Marching Band
El Dorado High School (Placentia, California) Golden Hawks
Farmers' Marching Band (First band on the parade line up) RCC Marching Tigers
Glendora Tartan Band and Pageantry
Kansai Green Honor Band (Kansai, Japan)
Los Angeles Unified School District All District High School Honor Band
The Marian Catholic High School band
Millard West High School (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Ohio State University Marching Band (Rose Bowl participant)
The Ohio State School for the Marching Blind Band (Second band on the parade line up)
The Ohio University Marching 110 Band
Oregon Marching Band (Rose Bowl participant)
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band
Pickerington Central (Ohio) Marching Tiger Band
Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band
Soddy Daisy High School (Tennessee) Marching Band
South Kitsap High School (Washington)
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
George Walton Comprehensive High School (Georgia)
Webb City High School (Missouri)
Albertville High School (Alabama) Aggie Band
All-Birdville Independent School District Band (Texas), Including the Richland High School Rebel Marching Band, the Pride of Haltom High School Buffalo Band, and the Birdville High School Mighty Hawk Band.
Banda Musical Delfines, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
CDF Firefighters Honor Guard Pipes & Drums, Sacramento, California
Central Carroll High School (Carrollton, Georgia) – The Central-Carroll Marching Pride band
Downingtown High School (Pennsylvania) Blue & Gold Marching Band
Lindbergh High School's Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band
Londonderry High School Marching Band and Colorguard (New Hampshire)
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Sound Machine
North Japan Honor Green Band, Japan
Owasso High School Pride of Owasso Band, Owasso, Oklahoma
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band
Southwest DeKalb High School Marching Panthers
Texas Christian University Marching Band
University of Wisconsin Marching Band
Upland High School (California) Highland Regiment
U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
Western Carolina University Pride of the Mountains Marching Band
Wyoming High School All State Marching Band
American Fork High School Marching Band, American Fork, Utah
Arcadia High School Apache Marching Band and Color Guard, Arcadia, California
Avon (High School) Marching Black & Gold, Avon, Indiana
Banda Escolar de Guayanilla (Guayanilla, Puerto Rico)
Needham B. Broughton High School Band, Raleigh, North Carolina
Calgary Stampede Showband (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Crestview High School 'The Big Red Machine' Band, Crestview, Florida
Ben Davis High School Marching Giants Band, Indianapolis, Indiana
Franklin Regional High School Marching Band, Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band (Kyoto, Japan)
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
All Lubbock ISD High School Marching Band (Lubbock High School, Monterey High School, Coronado High School and Estacado High School), Lubbock, Texas
Mercer Island High School Marching Band, Mercer Island, Washington
University of Oregon Marching Band, Eugene, Oregon
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Pulaski High School Red Raider Marching Band, Pulaski, Wisconsin
The Royal Swedish Navy Cadet Band, Karlskrona, Sweden
Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band
Siloam Springs High School Band, Siloam Springs, Arkansas
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
University of Wisconsin Marching Band, Madison, Wisconsin
Aguiluchos Marching Band, Puebla, Mexico
Bands of America Honor Band, Indianapolis, Indiana
Broken Arrow High School, Pride of Broken Arrow Marching Band, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Davis High School Marching Band, Kaysville, Utah
Green Band Association, All Izumo Honor Green Band – Izumo, Japan
Jackson Memorial High School Jaguar Marching Band, Jackson, New Jersey
Lafayette High School Marching Band, Lexington, Kentucky
Lassiter High School Marching Band, Marietta, Georgia
Lincoln High School, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
MOC-Floyd Valley High School Pride of the Dutchmen Marching Band, Orange City, Iowa
Morgantown High School Red & Blue Marching Band, Morgantown, West Virginia
Pacific American Volunteer Association (PAVA) – Yi Dynasty, Los Angeles, California
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Peace Band of our Angels of El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
Roots of Music Marching Crusaders, New Orleans, Louisiana
Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California
Santiago High School Marching Band and Color Guard, Corona, California
Seminole High School Seminole Warhawk Marching Band, Seminole, Florida
Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band, Stanford, California
U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
Valley Christian High School East-West Fusion All-Star Band (with No. 57 School from Beijing), San Jose, California and Beijing, China
University of Wisconsin Marching Band, Madison, Wisconsin
Banda de Música Herberto López Colegio José Daniel Crespo, Herrera, Panamá
Carmel High School “Marching Greyhounds,” Carmel, Indiana
Colony High School Knights Marching Band “THEE Northern Sound,” Palmer, Alaska
Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Indian Band, Kingsport, Tennessee
Glendora High School Tartan Band and Pageantry, Glendora, California
Hawaii All State Marching Band "Na Koa Ali'i," Kaneohe, Hawaii
Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band, Homewood, Alabama
Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson High School Marching Band, San Antonio, Texas
Liberty High School Grenadier Band, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
McQueen High School “Lancer Band,” Reno, Nevada
Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band, East Lansing, Michigan
Nagoya Minami High School Green Band, Nagoya, Japan
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California (85th Rose Parade appearance in 2014)
St. Augustine High School Marching “100,” New Orleans, Louisiana
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California (95th year of participation in 2014)
Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band, Stanford, California
Rosemount High School Marching Band, Rosemount, Minnesota
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
Westfield High School Marching Bulldogs, Chantilly, Virginia
Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment Marching Band, Blue Springs, Missouri
Cavalcade of Bands Honor Band, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Cypress High School Marching Band, Centurion Imperial Brigade, Cypress, California
Escuela Secundaria General #5, Manuel R. Gutierrez – Banda Musical Delfines, Veracruz, Mexico
Florida State University Marching Chiefs, Tallahassee, Florida
Helsingor Pipegarde – Elsinore Girls Marching Band, Denmark
Koriyama Honor Green Band, Koriyama, Japan
Robert E. Lee High School Mighty Rebel Band, Midland, Texas
Lakota West High School Marching Firebirds, West Chester, Ohio
Legacy High School Lightning Marching Band, Broomfield, Colorado
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
Maui High School's "Saber" Marching Band and Color Guard, Kahului, Hawaii
O'Fallon Township High School Marching Panthers O'Fallon, Illinois
University of Oregon Marching Band, Eugene, Oregon
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Round Rock High School Dragon Band, Round Rock, Texas
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California
Temple City High School Marching Band, The Pride of Temple City, Temple City, California
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
Walton High School – Marching Raider Band, Marietta, Georgia
Albany State University Marching Rams, Albany, Georgia
Allen High School, The Allen Eagle Escadrille, Allen, Texas
Centro Escolar José Maria Morelos y Pavón, Aguilas Doradas Marching Band, Puebla, Mexico
Etiwanda High School, Etiwanda High School, Marching Eagle Regiment Rancho Cucamonga, California
Franklin Regional High School Panther Band, Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Instituto Pedro Molina, Latin Band Pedro Molina, Coatepeque, Guatemala (unable to participate)
Jenks High School Trojan Pride, Jenks, Oklahoma
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
Mira Mesa High School Sapphire Sound and Color Guard, San Diego, California
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band, Canton, Michigan
Punahou School, Punahou Marching Band, Honolulu, Hawaii
Saratoga High School Marching Band and Color Guard, Saratoga, California
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California
Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band, Stanford, California
Toho High School Dragon Band, Nagoya, Japan
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band, San Diego, California
University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band, Iowa City, Iowa
Virginia Military Institute Regimental Band and Pipe Band, Lexington, Virginia
Mason High School Marching Comets Marching Band, Mason, Ohio
Wyoming All-State Marching Band, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Arcadia High School, Arcadia, California
Bands of America Honor Band, USA
Broken Arrow High School, The Pride of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Buhos Marching Band, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Foothill High School, Henderson, Nevada
Gifusho Green Band, Gifu, Japan
Grove City High School, Ohio
Marching Pride of Lawrence Township, Indianapolis, Indiana
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
Martin Luther King, Jr. High School, MLK "Kings of Halftime," Lithonia, Georgia
Niceville High School, Florida
Ooltewah High School, Tennessee
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Penn State University Marching Blue Band, Pennsylvania (Rose Bowl participant)
Pulaski High School, Red Raider Marching Band, Wisconsin
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California
Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, Santa Clara, California
United States Marine Corps, West Coast Composite Band, San Diego, California
United States Air Force Band, Washington, DC
University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band, Los Angeles, California (Rose Bowl participant)
Westlake High School, Austin, Texas
Air Academy High School - Air Academy High School Marching Band, USAF Academy, CO
Albertville Aggies Marching Band, Alabama
Australia’s Marching Koalas , Dangar, New South Wales, Australia
Banda De Música Herberto López - Colegio José Daniel Crespo, Chitré, Herrera, Republic of Panamá
Burlington Teen Tour Band, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Homestead High School – Homestead High School Mighty Mustang Marching Band, Cupertino, CA
Kyoto Tachibana High School - Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band, Kyoto, Japan
LAUSD All District High School Honor Band, Los Angeles, California
Lindbergh High School Spirit of Saint Louis Marching Band, St. Louis, Missouri
Londonderry High School Marching Lancer Band, New Hampshire
Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Herald Trumpets, Pasadena, California
Ronald Reagan High School Marching Band, San Antonio, Texas
The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band, Los Angeles, California
Santiago High School Marching Band and Color Guard, Corona, California
“The Commandant’s Own” The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, Washington, DC
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band, MCAS Miramar, MCRD San Diego and Camp Pendleton, CA
University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band, Massachusetts
Westlake High School Marching Thunder, Saratoga Springs, Utah
The bands from the two football teams competing in the Rose Bowl
