How To Watch the 2026 Rose Parade Live: Start Time, Channels, and Streaming

The Tournament of Roses Parade, better known as the Rose Parade, is Pasadena’s New Year’s Day showcase of flower-covered floats, precision marching bands, and equestrian units. A tradition since 1890, it was originally created by Pasadena’s Valley Hunt Club as a midwinter festival to flaunt Southern California’s sunshine to the rest of the country.
In 2026, the 5.5-mile parade kicks off on January 1 at 8:00 a.m. PT. It’s not a small production, either. Every year, you’re essentially watching a moving museum exhibit of engineering hidden under flowers, accompanied by some of the world’s best marching bands.

Unfortunately, the TV experience can get confusing. The Rose Parade is simulcast across multiple channels (including local coverage and national feeds), and streaming availability depends on which broadcaster you choose. In other words, two people can watch the parade simultaneously on totally different apps and feeds. Below, I’ll help you find the right one for your setup.

What channel is the Rose Parade on?

You can watch the 2026 Rose Parade live on ABC, CNN, FOX, NBC, and Great American Family. Coverage begins simultaneously on all networks, with each offering its own commentary team and broadcast style. But availability varies by location.

For the “local” experience, keep an eye out for KTLA 5. This Los Angeles CW affiliate is famous for its commercial-free coverage, which is often syndicated to other local stations and streamed online for free. Spanish-language viewers can catch full coverage on Telemundo and Univision.

Best TV plans for watching the Rose Parade

Because the Tournament of Roses Parade is a single-day event, choosing the right TV plan really comes down to two questions. Do you want to pay a monthly bill, and are you planning to stick around for the Rose Bowl Game afterwards? Since the parade is on broadcast TV but the game is exclusively on ESPN, you’ll need a specific setup to catch both.

Here’s my Good, Better, Best breakdown for watching the festivities.

• Good – Antenna TV: Since the parade is simulcast on broadcast networks like NBC, ABC, and Univision, a simple digital antenna is the most reliable way to watch. It’s a one-time purchase (usually under $50) that pulls in a crisp, uncompressed HD signal without any monthly fees or internet lag.
• Better – Free Streaming Services: If you don’t want to buy hardware, you can watch the parade completely free on several streaming apps. Pluto TV will air the parade on its Pluto TV Christmas channel, and Fubo Sports Network (available on Fubo, The Roku Channel, and Tubi) offers a free feed as well.
• Best – Hulu + Live TV: For the full New Year’s Day experience—floats and football—you’ll want a live TV streaming service. Hulu + Live TV carries all the local channels you need for the parade (ABC, NBC, FOX) and includes ESPN for the 112th Rose Bowl Game at 1:00 p.m. PT. It also comes with Disney+ and ESPN+ included, giving you plenty of value beyond the parade.

How to stream the Rose Parade for free

Thanks to new partnerships for the 2026 parade, there are now more ways to watch online without a subscription than ever before. If you don’t have an antenna, you can download any of the following apps to catch the Rose Parade live.

• Christmas Plus: This free app is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. You can also find the Christmas Plus channel inside other free services like Sling Freestream, Philo Free Channels, and Plex.
• Fubo Sports Network: You don’t need a paid Fubo subscription to watch this channel. It’s available online and through apps like Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, and Vizio WatchFree+.
• Pluto TV: Tune in to the Pluto TV Christmas channel between 8:00–10:00 a.m. PT on January 1 for a free Rose Parade livestream.

How to watch the Rose Parade FAQ