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MEDIA RELEASE
PASADENA, Calif. (October 27, 2023) – The Pasadena Tournament of Roses® has named Naomi Stillitano as the 105th Rose Queen® at the Announcement and Coronation ceremony presented by Citizens Business Bank. The 2024 Tournament of Roses President Alex Aghajanian made the announcement on the front steps of Tournament House in Pasadena.
The first Rose Queen was announced in 1905, and for more than 100 years, the Rose Queen and Court have symbolized the heart of the cherished Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. The seven young ladies highlight the mosaic of backgrounds and cultures that define the Pasadena community and exemplify character, service and leadership modeled through their commitment to family, school and community.
The 2024 Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano is a senior at Arcadia High School, and lives in Arcadia. She is currently co-president of the Italian Culture Club, a dancer and actress with the Arcadia Stage Theater and was a swimmer on the Rose Bowl Swim Team. She enjoys playing guitar and piano, singing, traveling, cooking, drawing, roller skating and bike riding. Born and raised in Italy for seven years, Naomi speaks fluent Italian, and understands Spanish. With the goal to create her own fashion brand, Naomi is interested in studying fashion design and marketing at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Milano Fashion Institute, Pasadena City College or the University of Southern California. Naomi is the daughter of Piero Stillitano and Nerida Gonzalez, and has two brothers, Toraino and Taaj.
The history of the Rose Queen goes back to 1905 when Hallie Woods was selected to ride in a horse-drawn carriage down Colorado Blvd. Since then, Rose Queens have had a wide range of success. From May Sutton, queen in 1908, the first American player to win the singles title at Wimbledon, to the 2000 queen, Sophia Bush, an actor nominated for a People’s Choice award for her role on “Chicago P.D.”
Today, the 1940 Rose Queen, Margaret Huntley Main, is the longest living queen at 102 years old. From Northern California, she watched Naomi Stillitano be crowned live on the Tournament of Roses YouTube channel.
During the coronation ceremony, President Aghajanian presented Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds.
The 2024 Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano and the 2024 Rose Court will attend numerous community and media functions, serving as ambassadors of the Tournament of Roses, the Pasadena community, and the greater Los Angeles area. Each Royal Court member will receive a $7,500 educational scholarship from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.
Join us to experience the awe and wonder of the floats, bands and equestrian units of the 135th Rose Parade presented by Honda and the CFP Semifinal at the 110th Rose Bowl Game®.
Royal Court Sponsors
Presenting sponsor Citizens Business Bank
Macy’s
Mikimoto
Passion Roses
Paul Mitchell The School Pasadena
Tadashi Shoji
The Enchanted Florist
