It’s Time! Pasadena’s Revered Rose Parade Traditions Ramp Up for Royal Court Interviews Saturday

Expect to see long lines of well-coiffed and beautifully-attired young women outside Tournament House Saturday.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association will conduct the first-round of interviews with Rose Queen hopefuls who have submitted their application forms for the 2023 Rose Parade.

The organization has set aside another day, Monday, Sept. 12, for additional Round One interviews just to make sure everyone is accommodated. 

Saturday’s Round One interviews begin at 10 a.m. On Monday, Round One interviews will start at 3 p.m. Tournament House is located at 391 S. Orange Grove Blvd. in Pasadena. 

During the interviews, each applicant will be given 15 seconds to answer a question. 

The Queen and Court Committee, made of up 12 Tournament of Roses Members, will be asking the questions. 

They will be looking for a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, youth leadership, academic achievement, and community and school involvement, the Tournament of Roses Association said in an announcement. 

But one draw for some of the applicants isn’t going to happen this year.

“In the past, the Tournament of Roses hosted the Royal Ball, a dance for participants in the initial round of interviews. The Royal Ball is being reimagined and will not be held this year.”

Application Process

“The Rose Queen and Royal Court are iconic traditions, steeped in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses’ history and we are excited to continue the treasured legacy with the 2023 Royal Court,” according to the Tournament of Roses. 

Applicants will first receive an orientation about the Rose Queen selection process. Past Royal Court members will be present to share their experiences and explain the step-by-step process for the interview day. Applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions about the interview process, the Tournament of Roses or the benefits of being on the Royal Court. 

After two days of Round One, all participants should receive an email by Wednesday, Sept. 14. The email will say either of two things: if applicants should continue on to the next round in the interview process, or if Round One was the end of their experience. 

For the chosen applicants, Round Two will be on Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m to 3 p.m. 

Round Three of the process will be held on Sept. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and the Final Round is on Tuesday, Sept. 27. 

The formal announcement of the 2023 Royal Queen and Court will be on Monday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m.

Members of the 2023 Royal Court members will each receive a $7,500 educational scholarship and serve as ambassadors of the Tournament of Roses, in the Pasadena community and the greater Los Angeles area.

The 134th Rose Parade in 2023 will be on Monday, Jan. 2. The 2023 Royal Court will ride down Colorado Blvd. on the Royal Court float and attend the 109th Rose Bowl Game.