The torrential rain poured down, with dark clouds hanging over the city of Pasadena in the greater Los Angeles area, casting a gloomy shadow over what should have been a joyous city, as if the weather gods were not in a celebratory mood.
The date on the new calendar on the wall was January 2, 2006. Today was the day of the 117th Annual Rose Parade Tournament of Roses.
This year, the event was not held on New Year's Day because, by tradition, if New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the parade is postponed to Monday. This custom dates back to the third parade in 1893. Locally, it was said, "We have an agreement with God that we will never hold the parade on a Sunday, and he will never let it rain on the parade." However, according to the official statement from the Tournament of Roses Association, it was "to avoid the dreadful situation of horses being tied up outside local churches, thereby disturbing the worship of the residents."
