California’s 2021 Rose Parade canceled due to pandemic

California’s annual Rose Parade, held on Jan. 1, will not take place next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association announced Wednesday.

“The health and well-being of our parade participants and guests, as well as that of our volunteer members, professional staff and partners, is our number one priority,” Bob Miller, 2021 President of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, said in a statement.

“Obviously this is not what any of us wanted, and we held off on announcing until we were absolutely sure that safety restrictions would prevent us from continuing with planning for 132nd Rose Parade,” Miller added.

This marks only the fourth time the parade has not occurred since its 1891 inception, with the other three cancellations occurring in 1942, 1943 and 1945 due to World War II.

Although it is unknown what the status of the pandemic will be in January, preparations usually begin almost a year out, according to the statement.

“In addition to the advance planning required by our band and equestrian units, the construction of our floats takes many months and typically requires thousands of volunteers to gather in ways that aren’t in compliance with safety recommendations and won’t be safe in the coming months,” David Eads, executive director and CEO of the association, said in a statement. “While we are extremely disappointed that we are unable to host the parade, we believe that not doing so will prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as protect the legacy of the Rose Parade for generations to come.”

The announcement comes as California is one of several states facing a coronavirus spike, with 11,000 new cases Tuesday, a new single-day record for the state.