Rose Parade 2022’s 10 most memorable moments: Dionne Warwick, Papa Rooster & more

The 2022 Rose Parade’s five-and-a-half-mile showcase of floats, marching bands and equestrian units returned after a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite a recent rise in coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County, fans took to the streets of Pasadena to watch the annual event.

These were some of the defining moments from Saturday’s parade:

1. During a year framed by pandemic, the enduring coronavirus outbreak was hard to ignore at the Rose Parade.

Attendees at Saturday’s Rose Parade in Pasadena were urged to wear masks to stem the flow of coronavirus and were required to show proof of vaccination in the grandstands.

Crowds were smaller than in pre-COVID years, but Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard still featured plenty of cold, sleepy-eyed but enthusiastic fans. One found a very thorough way to protect himself.

3. People took to Twitter to react to the 2022 Opening Spectacular performer, LeAnn Rimes. Similar to previous opening performers, the general outlook for the performer was mixed. Of note, Rimes won season four of the singing competition “The Masked Singer.”

4. And on the topic of singing competition show, a funny moment from singer Dionne Warwick was caught on TV while atop “The Masked Singer” float. In the video below, Warwick is seen visibly stunned as what sounds like a confetti machine goes off in the distance.

5. The halfway-point performance from the Louisiana float featuring the Hot 8 Brass Band and “American Idol” winner, Laine Hardy, earned wild responses from the crowd.

6. And perhaps the biggest winner of the 2022 Rose Parade was arguably the grand marshal himself, LeVar Burton. Parade-goers and those viewing from home had nothing but great things to say about the actor, director and literacy advocate.

6. And the judge’s pick for the best float goes to…

The UPS Store captured the Sweepstakes Trophy for “Rise, Shine & Read,” highlighted by a proud papa rooster reading to his brood chicks on a towering animated float.

7. The Rose Parade would not be complete without the marching bands. Some standouts from the parade include the Hebron Marching Band boisterously singing during their march and the Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands. And a sea of band directors performed marvelously after just two days of rehearsal.

Before the parade, the bands showcase their talents at Bandfest, a two-day field show held at Pasadena City College.

8. The judge’s pick for Theme Award, Kaiser Permanente, decided to pull their health care workers from marching amid the omicron surge, as a safety precaution. The pro-vaccination message of the float proved quite timely.

9. The Golden Knights U.S. Army parachuters dropped from a plane and launched a dynamic performance as they spun, sailed and soared toward Earth. Some fans on social media worried that one member of the team may have ended up in a tree, but that turned out to be an optical illusion. All landed safely.

10. La Canada High School senior Nadia Chung reigned over the parade as Rose Queen, joined by the six members of her Royal Court.

Make sure to catch up with all of our Rose Parade coverage here.

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