formally Pasadena Tournament of Roses
Oldest U.S. postseason college gridiron football contest.
It is held annually in Pasadena, Calif., usually on New Year's Day. Each Rose Bowl game is preceded by a "Rose Parade" featuring floats of elaborate floral design. The first festival was held in 1890 and the first football game in 1902. The Rose Bowl stadium opened in 1922. From 1947 to 2001 participation was limited to teams from the Big Ten and Pacific Ten conferences. Starting in 2002, this arrangement was suspended every fourth year to allow the Rose Bowl to host a national championship game.