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2009 Kicks Off Via Parade

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 2, 2009

Elaborate floats and costumes were the norm for the traditional New Year's parades in California and Philadelphia on Thursday.

Pasadena, Calif., police estimated that more than a million spectators came out for the Rose Parade to see spangled dancers paying tribute to Broadway, a lush garden wedding flanked by sari-clad models representing India's Bollywood film industry and a 49-foot-tall robot named Asimo who tipped his top hat to guests. The parade featured 21 marching bands and 18 equestrian units along the 5 1/2 -mile route.

In Philadelphia, thousands endured temperatures in the low 20s to watch the more than six-hour Mummers Parade, which almost didn't happen after the city withdrew $400,000 in support. Among the 15,000 participants, many of whom spend all year on the elaborate costumes, were musicians dressed as Wild West gunslingers and comics dressed as bullfighters, knights and Mexican wrestlers.

The Associated Press

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