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George Falardo, Pasadena Community Coalition Chairman Martin Gordon, Tournament of Roses President Alex Aghajanian, Tournament of Roses CEO David Eads at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Vannia De La Cuba and Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez and Amy Wainscott at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Phlunte’ Riddle and Tournament of Roses President Alex Aghajanian at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Brandon Lamar and Gerald Freeny at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court members Emmerson Tucker and Olivia Bohanec, Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano, Rose Court Princesses Trinity Dela Cruz, Phoebe Ho and Jessica Powell at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Tournament of Roses President Alex Aghajanian at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Tournament of Roses CEO David Eads at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
James and Tamika Farr at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Amy Wainscott, Laura Farber, Gerald Freeny at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin and Ken Chawkins at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Steven Arellano, Regina Major, Alain Camling, Eve Santillan, Steve Darden at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Terry Madigan, Kevin Sommerfield, Ed Morales at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Arnetta Tolley, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, Eleanor Lee at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Jean Pintarelli and Brenda Gant at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Craig Washington and Gene Washington at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Sharron Ross-Lemle, Carla Haines-Shelton, Erica McDaniels at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
David, Kayden, Kenzie and Phauong Deng at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Ron Neter, Shawn Cohen, Eli Cohen, Jordan Cohen, Mona Neter at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, Joe Brown, Brooklyn Brown at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
John Greenwall, Mary Ann Nation-Greenwall, Sharon Privitte at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Emmerson Tucker at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Phoebe Ho at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Olivia Bohanec at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Trinity Dela Cruz at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Jessica Powell at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Rose Court Princess Olivia Bohanec, Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano, Rose Court Princess Trinity Dela Cruz at Tournament of Roses Open House, Nov. 12, 2023. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
For the fifth year in a row, Pasadena’s Tournament House threw open its doors to the community Sunday as it held its Community Open House, with elected officials, community leaders, the 2024 Royal Court and throngs of area residents in attendance.
More than 700 took part in the event, enjoying lunch and live music on the south lawn of Tournament House along with organized tours of the Italian Renaissance-style property, which was presented to the City of Pasadena in 1958 by the Wrigley family to serve as the permanent headquarters for the Tournament of Roses.
According to Tournament of Roses Executive Director David Eads, the event is a partnership that the Tournament of Roses has established with the Pasadena Community Coalition.
“We’re celebrating our 135th anniversary,” said Eads. “And this is just an opportunity for us to invite the entire community here. It’s Tournament House, (but) it’s really the community’s house, and this is our opportunity to welcome people and let them see the house as we move quickly towards New Year’s Day, and The Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game.”
“This is such a wonderful event for us today,” added current Tournament of Roses President Alex Agajanian. “We bring our community family together. We get to celebrate together. We get to have a little food, a little drink, and just come together and what is going to be a wonderful event for the community to see what the tournament does. And it helps us with respect to how we in the community bring people together.”
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo shared that sentiment, as he explained, “It’s important to come together and celebrate the diversity in our city, but also recommit ourselves individually and collectively to ensuring that everything we do in life, within our or outside of our city, is underpinned by our commitment to diversity.”
According to Martin Gordon, chair of the Pasadena Community Coalition, the event was born following the selection of the first African-American President of Tournament of Roses, Gerald Freeny.
“That was a historic event,” said Gordon. “In the 30-year history of the Tournament of Roses, there had never been an African-American president. And so many years ago, we fought and fought and fought to make that change. We started to talk about diversity, not just on the board, but also in staffing and volunteers.”
“And so after we did that first one,” he continued, “we realized that many people from the community had never been to the Tournament House, never been invited, of course. So we decided that (they) need to invite the community to come. Not just the mayor and other leaders, but everybody.
“And so in line with that, we decided to also take two big buses right out into the community. And we’ve been doing that for five years.”
Gordon explained that the Tournament of Roses sends buses directly to Jackie Robinson Center and Villa Parke to pick up local neighbors and residents to bring them to the event.
“When we first did this, one lady started crying,” remembered Gordon. “She said, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever been to the Tournament of Roses house. And I’ve been to every single Rose Bowl game that I was ever invited to.’ “
“So this is our fifth year,” he explained, brightening. “We’re really excited because now it’s become ordinary. Everybody comes out and new people come every year. But the purpose of this is really to say that the Tournament of Roses understands that we need to be diverse and they believe in equity and inclusion, and that I’ve been working with them for the past five years, well before this happened.
“And that we’re moving forward, and we’re doing five years now, and we hope to do five years more. And we’re doing well. We’ll get there. We’ll get there.”
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