BUG...BE GONE!; CENTURY COMES UP SMELLING LIKE ROSES PARADE BURIES BUG, FOCUSES ON FUTURE.

Byline: Janette Williams and Elizabeth Lee Staff Writers

PASADENA - The 111th Tournament of Roses Parade on Saturday opened the century with a look toward the future, with helmeted spacemen and a robot marching band, and said farewell to the Y2K bug.

An estimated half-million parade visitors bundled up in hats, scarves, even the odd fur coat on a chilly New Year's Day and set aside Y2K jitters to attend the world-famous New Year's Day parade.

Downey's futuristic city circled by a roller coaster, the Freemason's 50-foot Statue of Liberty and a time-traveling scientist on the Cal Poly Pomona float were all big crowd-pleasers.

"This is the realization of a life-long dream, and it was everything I'd hoped it would be," said Pat Sager of Jacksonville, Fla., who has camped out on the parade route overnight with her family.

Pasadena's post-storm climate and snow-dusted San Gabriel Mountains were not the Southern California winter vacation she had expected.

I can't believe I'm here and I can't believe how cold it is," she said. "My husband, as a joke, told us to take hats and mittens, and I said, 'It's California. It's like Florida.' We froze last night!"

Despite minor glitches, the parade went smoothly, with only two arrests related to a public disturbance and no float breakdowns.

A tournament official said the wintry weather thinned the crowds for the Southland's most famous New Year's Day event, watched on television by an estimated 350 million people worldwide.

Sidewalks that are normally packed with people had 3 to 6 feet of space this year.

Not only were there fewer parade watchers, but the ones who camped overnight were much quieter, making it easy to enjoy the night, said David Moreno, a 35-year-old Chino Hills plumber.

"It was more satisfying, more comfortable," Moreno said. "There weren't a lot of drunks and a lot of crazy kids."

A B-2 stealth bomber made its second Rose Parade appearance but the overcast kept six Air Force fighter jets from performing their close-formation flyover.

In a special millennium touch, the parade of 54 floats, 26 equestrian groups, 25 bands and four special entries was led off by 250 cyclists who rode down the 5.5-mile parade route and just kept on going. The ride was the first stage in a yearlong round-the-world journey that will bring them back to next year's parade.

They were followed by 2,000 local high school students who formed a human banner spelling out Celebration 2000, this year's parade theme.

Reactions to the 2000 parade, which Tournament of Roses President Ken Burrows touted as the biggest, best and most-animated parade ever, were mixed.

Some spectators felt the parade didn't live up to expectations after seeing how extravagantly much of the world celebrated 2000.

"It was weak. I didn't like it. They need better floats and more action," said 16-year-old Richard Woodley of Pasadena. "They need some fireworks, some kind of New York stuff. "Dog tricks and drill teams could also have enlivened the show, he said.

It was the bands, some with more than 500 members, that brought people to their feet.

And in contrast to other musical outfits' close-formation marching displays, the Stanford band ran wildly along the parade route, one member wearing a gorilla suit. A sousaphone player decorated his instrument's bell with a painted marijuana leaf.

"I thought they were excellent," said Wisconsin fan Ed Meichtry, making his first Rose Parade visit in 50 years. "We think the Wisconsin band is real hip, but they've almost outdone us."

Janette Smart, visiting from Sydney, Australia, thought the parade was the best she had ever seen, but she shook her head over the Stanford display.

"I loved all the bands, except for Stanford. Oh dear," she said.

Grand Marshall Roy Disney said riding the parade route was an incredible experience, even if his companions got more attention than he did. "We had Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck with us, he said.

Jessie Browning, 79, of Pomona, who has attended 40 Rose Parades, went home Saturday and watched it all over on TV.

"It's a madness. It's an addiction and a madness, and it's beautiful," Browning said, explaining why she has attended the parade 40 times. "It's the camaraderie of all the people on the street."

- Staff Writers David Zahnizer and Andy Samuelson contributed to this report.

PARADE WINNERS

PASADENA - Trophies were awarded to 23 floats in the 111th Tournament of Roses with the parade theme ``Celebration 2000: Visions of the Future.'' The winners, including theme, sponsor and description of category:

--Sweepstakes Trophy: ``Dreams Come True,'' Target Stores. Most beautiful entry with outstanding floral presentation and design.

--Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy: ``Celebration of Spring,'' City of Torrance. Most beautiful float entered by a noncommercial sponsor.

--President's Trophy: ``Rain Forest Rendezvous,'' Rain Bird Sprinkler Manufacturing Corp. Most effective overall floral presentation, use of flowers and design of floral arrangements.

--Grand Marshal's Trophy: ``Dream Vacation,'' Automobile Club of Southern California. Excellence in creative concept and design.

--Directors' Trophy: ``Promises for Tomorrow,'' Florists' Transworld Delivery. Outstanding artistic merit in design and floral presentation.

--Theme trophy: ``Expanding the Limits,'' Boeing Co.. Excellence in presenting parade theme.

--Judges' Special Trophy: ``Visions of Wisdom and Imagination,'' 21st Century Insurance Co. Most spectacular showmanship and dramatic impact.

--Queen's Trophy: ``Passing the Torch,'' Order of AHEPA, a Greek fraternal organization. Most effective use and display of roses in concept, design and presentation.

--Isabella Coleman Trophy: ``Readers are Winners,'' Rotary International. Best presentation of color and color harmony through use of flowers.

--Princesses' Trophy: ``Treasures for Always,'' Odd Fellows and Rebekahs. Most beautiful float 35 feet or less in length.

--Animation Trophy: ``Time Machine ... Journey to Tomorrow,'' Countrywide Home Loans. Best use of animation and motion.

--Fantasy Trophy: ``Virtual Reality,'' Dr. Pepper Co. Most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination.

--Humor Trophy: ``Stolen Time,'' California Polytechnic Universities of Pomona and San Luis Obispo. Most comical and amusing entry.

--International Trophy: ``2000 - Year of the Dragon,'' China Airlines Ltd. Most beautiful entry from outside the continental United States.

--National Trophy: ``A Family Tradition,'' City of St. Louis. Best depiction of life in the United States, past, present or future.

--Governor's Trophy: ``Celebrating Tomorrow Together,'' Subway Restaurants. Best depiction of life in California.

--Founders' Trophy: ``Tee Time 2000,'' La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association. Most beautiful float built and decorated by volunteers from the sponsoring community or organization.

--Mayor's Trophy: ``To the Future ... At Full Throttle,'' Burbank Tournament of Roses Association. Most outstanding entry from a city (U.S. or international).

--Tournament Special Trophy: ``Refreshing Times,'' William Wrigley Jr. Co. Exceptional merit in multiple classifications.

--Volunteers' Trophy: ``Ringing in the New Year,'' Kiwanis International. Best floral design of parade theme, 35 feet or less.

--Extraordinaire Trophy: ``The Band for Tomorrow,'' American Honda Motor Co. Most spectacular entry including floats that cannot retract to 55 feet in length.

--Past Presidents Trophy: ``Ahead of Our Time - 2000 BC,'' City of West Covina. Most creative design and use of both floral and nonfloral materials.

--Craftsman Award: ``Celebrating Majestic Thailand,'' Thai Airways International PCL. Outstanding showmanship and dramatic impact over 55 feet in length.

- Associated Press

CAPTION(S):

15 photos, map, box

Photo: (1 -- P. 1 -- color) The City of Alhambra's ``R.I.P. Y2K Bug'' float summed up the feelings of many at the 111th Rose Parade.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

(2 -- P. 1 -- color) 21st Century Insurance wasn't just blowing smoke Saturday. The company's fantasy float brought home the Judge's Special Award.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

(Photos 3-8 ran P. 16)

John Lazar and Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographers

(3 -- color) The ``Hopefully Ever After. . .'' float by Sparkletts Water depicts the expectation involved in kissing a frog.

(4 -- color) The President's Trophy winner, ``Rain Forest Rendezvous,'' by Rain Bird Sprinklers, features colorful parrots.

(5 -- color) Rose Queen Sophia Bush of Pasadena rides the royal float.

(6 -- color) The ``Future Unlimited'' float entered by the city of Downey came complete with a working roller coaster.

(7 -- color) The crowd cheers the start of the Tournament of Roses Parade early Saturday.

(8 -- color) The horn section of the Los Angeles Unified All-District Honor Band glistens Saturday morning.

(9) The Flintstones and Rubbles helped bring West Covina's float, ``Ahead of Our Time . . . 2000 BC,'' the Past Presidents' Award.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

(10) The ``Liberty for All'' float features a replica of Lady Liberty.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(11) Glendale's float, ``Havin' Fun Yet?'' ain't nuthin' but a hound dog, who doesn't seem thrilled about Y2K, and some happier-looking riders.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(Photos 12-15 ran P. 18)

John Lazar and Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographers

(12 -- color) Thai Airways International flew off with the Craftsman Award for its exotic float, ``Celebrating Majestic Thailand.''

(13 -- color) Grand Marshal Roy Disney brought along his cartoon pals.

(14 -- color) A rider and horse from the Camarillo White Horse unit are decked out in all their finery.

(15 -- color) 21st Century Insurance's ``Visions of Wisdom and Imagination'' won the Judge's Special Award for outstanding display of fantasy and imagination.

Map: FLOAT VIEWING

Box: PARADE WINNERS (see text)