Weekend: Rose Parade, Before the Rose Parade

Watch float decorating, prancing ponies, and bands on the march.

ROSE PARADE, AHEAD OF THE PARADE: Other huge, venerable, and known-the-world-over spectaculars may just occur on a particular date, but not the Rose Parade, no sirree. Any bud buff worth their curb seat knows that Tournament of Roses to-dos start a few days ahead of Jan. 1. You can watch volunteers meticulously push petals to vehicles at the Float Decorating viewings (those open on Dec. 27), take in the musicians of the parade during Bandfest (at PCC on Dec. 29 and 30), or admire pony prowess on Dec. 29 at Equestfest. If you do all three, and the parade, and the bowl, well then, madame or monsieur, we do dub you a rosy know-it-all, which is a very nice thing to be.

THE WONDER OF DINOSAURS: "Up to 100 museum quality robotic and static dinosaurs" will be set up for science-loving lookie-loos at the Pasadena Convention Center through Dec. 30. It's an "at your own pace" walk-through dealie, meaning that if you or your kid suddenly feels attached to the Pachyrhinosaurus -- and, honestly, who wouldn't, given that he's such a superb 'saur? -- then you can spend all the time you like in front of that exhibit. Yeah, we said "'saur" there, like we're cool, but loving dinos is frankly cool. End of discussion.

CHRISTMAS CONTINUES... at least for a few more days, here and there. The Second City's "A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens!" makes merry in Culver City through Sunday, Dec. 29, Disneyland's holiday decor and parade shall decor-and-parade-it-up through Jan. 6, Snoopy rules at Knott's Merry Farm through Jan. 5, and Grinchmas finds the true meaning of Who-sweet friendship, and the season, too, at Universal Studios Hollywood through Jan. 4.

VINTAGE TEXTILE & CLOTHING SHOW: If one of your aims for 2014 is to spiff it up, and de-sweatpants-it down, and not spend too much in the process, a good route is to think old-school togs. The pieces are often one-of-a-kind and full of sass. Tempted by this easy-to-keep resolution? Then visit this treasure-packed frocks-and-more show, which lands at Burbank's Pickwick Gardens on Sunday, Dec. 29.

BEACH TO MOUNTAINS: Relatives still in town? If so, are you mulling that ol' "you can do the beach and the mountains in a single day" chestnut that we Angelenos so often toss around? Just to show off your city to the out-of-towners? Nice plan, but here's a twist: Take them by the oh-so-icy CHILL at the Queen Mary -- mittens are a must -- then head up the 710 to The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, where roses and more are abloom, like it is springtime or something. Plus, we heard whispers that roses and Pasadena might be in the news this upcoming week. Wait -- you heard that, too?

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