What to Know
- New Year's Eve is Sunday, Dec. 31; several big bashes, including the free festival at Gloria Molina Grand Park in DTLA, will shimmer
- The Rose Parade presented by Honda rolls in Pasadena on New Year's Day morning at 8 a.m.; the Rose Bowl kicks off at 2 p.m.
- Kwanzaa fun in Hollywood, other Rose Parade events, and a last-chance to see Space Shuttle Endeavour "for several years" are just ahead, too.
Honoring Kwanzaa: The multi-day celebration began on Dec. 26 with several ebullient happenings around Los Angeles, the events that put the spotlight on the holiday's Seven Principles. While the South Los Angeles parade and festival wrapped earlier this week, Ovation Hollywood will celebrate on Dec. 30 with dance performances, thrilling live music led by drums, and cooking decorating, too. The fun? It's free to attend.
Happy New Year: Los Angeles is a celebratory hub on pretty much every day of the year, but come Dec. 31? The parties get bigger/brighter and sometimes freer, too. The huge free fest at Gloria Molina Grand Park in DTLA is a favorite, thanks to all of those City Hall projections, while fireworks will dazzle in Long Beach and Marina del Rey. Some swanky balls at Union Station and the Biltmore Hotel are giving revelers a chance to wear their fanciest frocks. And for the kids? Noon Year's Eve gatherings will make the most of the sunshine and an earlier hour.
Tournament of Roses: The Rose Parade presented by Honda is a Jan. 1 icon as is the Rose Bowl, and you can bet people will be up at dawn (or simply stay awake) to watch the floats, thrill to the marching bands, and cheer for grand marshal Audra McDonald. The floats roll up Orange Grove Boulevard overnight for an 8 a.m. parade start — the 2024 theme is "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language" — while the Rose Bowl takes to the famous field at Rose Bowl Stadium at 2 o'clock.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Rose-related Events: The Rose Parade starts, in a way, days in advance, with Bandfest presented by Remo and Equestfest presented by Santa Anita Park giving music and horse fans a chance to check out some of the parade participants in advance. There's also a way to check out the float decorating scene, which is in its final push over the weekend, at Rosemont Pavilion near Rose Bowl Stadium. Note that these are ticketed events, so secure your spot ahead of time.
Farewell (for now) Endeavour: The celebrated space shuttle, the one that has made its home at the California Science Center for just over 11 years, is going off-view "for several years" as it is moved to its new home at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which is still under construction. If you'd like to see Endeavour in its current horizontal position — the new display will feature it upright, something that's sure to be breathtaking — stop by the Exposition Park science museum by Dec. 31.
