Rose Parade 2026 dazzles with towering floats and iconic San Francisco tribute
The 137th Rose Parade took place in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day 2026. The event showcased elaborate floats, marching bands, and equestrian teams, drawing huge crowds both in person and on screen. Among the highlights was San Francisco’s towering float, celebrating the city’s iconic landmarks and community spirit.
The Rose Parade began in 1890 as a way to attract tourists and new residents to Southern California. Over a century later, it remains one of the most watched New Year’s celebrations in the world. This year’s parade featured 39 floral floats, 17 equestrian teams, and 19 marching bands, all supported by more than 100,000 volunteers.
One of the standout entries was Believe in San Francisco, a collaboration between the San Francisco Unified School District and the city itself. The float stretched 55 feet long, stood 24 feet high, and was covered in over 100,000 fresh flowers. It recreated famous sights like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Painted Ladies, with 750 volunteers contributing over 6,200 hours of work. Princess Cruises also made a splash with a 55-foot-long, 21-foot-high float shaped like its Star Princess cruise ship. Decorated with more than 300,000 flowers, the display promoted the company’s upcoming news voyages. Other floats represented tourism from Mississippi and Louisiana, adding to the parade’s diverse themes. After the parade, the Rose Bowl football game followed, with around 700,000 spectators in the stadium and an estimated 30 million watching on TV or streaming. The event capped off a day of celebration, blending tradition with spectacle.
The 2026 Rose Parade once again brought together intricate designs, community effort, and widespread attention. Floats like San Francisco’s and Princess Cruises’ demonstrated the creativity and scale of the event, with costs for some entries exceeding $400,000. The parade and Rose Bowl game continued their long-standing tradition as a major New Year’s Day attraction.
