Happy New Year from Violinist.com

January 1, 2016, 1:16 PM · Happy New Year from Pasadena, California — home of Violinist.com... and the world-famous Tournament of Roses Parade!

Every morning on New Year's Day, we are awakened by the roar of a B2 Stealth bomber flying what seems like a couple hundred feet over our home. It's the traditional start to Pasadena's annual Rose Parade, which this year featured the theme "Find Your Adventure."

The first float in this year's parade was from presenting sponsor Honda and featured high school musicians from the disaster-affected Tohoku Region in Japan, who participated in a two-week cultural exchange program here in the United States.

Of course, music always plays a prominent role in the Rose Parade, with marching bands from around the world. One unusual line-up this year featured bagpipes, in the Virginia Military Institute's band.

A couple of other personal favorites: It was a kick seeing a float of "Downton Abbey," including star Elizabeth McGovern, riding down the street just around the corner from our home.

The highlight of the parade might have been Disneyland's massive float, celebrating the California theme park's 60th anniversary this year. You can see more photos and a video of the Disneyland float in the report I wrote for our sister site, Theme Park Insider.