The Pasadena Tournament of Roses will usher in 2026 with towering floats decorated with mesmerizing florals and synchronized marching bands performing along the parade route.
This year’s parade, themed “The Magic of Teamwork,” will feature meticulously designed floats that honor the unity and collaboration from the community, in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, which ravaged neighboring Altadena in early 2025.
With rain in the forecast for the first time in 20 years, the 137th Rose Parade is set to be one to remember. As the participants gear up for a potentially wet parade route, here’s a look at the groups from San Diego County and how you can watch from home.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s entry into the 137th Rose Parade. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)
The beloved elephants from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s African savanna herd will be the stars of this year’s float in the Rose Parade. Adorned with exotic plants, vibrant florals and savanna grasses, the float is a preview of the Safari Park’s sprawling and highly anticipated Elephant Valley attraction opening in 2026. The centerpiece: a pair of mother and daughter elephants who went viral in April 2025 after forming an alert circle during an earthquake. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance earned the parade’s top honors in 2025, winning the coveted Sweepstakes Award.
The UPS Store
A rendering of “Sharing Skills for Success,” The UPS Store’s entry to the 137th Rose Parade features animatronic seahorses, the tallest of which could qualify for a Guinness World Record on Dec. 31. (Photo courtesy of AES)
The UPS Store, headquartered in San Diego for the last 45 years, is diving underwater with its float decorated with a kaleidoscope of florals, coral, fish and seahorses. The aquatic scene depicts a 32-foot-tall seahorse teaching skills to his young. The UPS Store says the float is inspired by its Start Small, Grow Big program, which teaches kids about entrepreneurship.
U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band
United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band performs during the 135th Rose Parade in Pasadena on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Marching down the Pasadena parade route is the combination of three elite military ensembles from across Southern California. Marine Band San Diego, along with the 1st Marine Division Band and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, will assemble for thousands of spectators in a rare joint performance.
Scripps Miramar Ranch
Members of the Scripps Miramar Ranch wave to the crowd as they travel down Orange Grove Boulevard during the 136th Rose Parade in Pasadena on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline-Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)
Scripps Miramar Ranch Saddlebreds is back to showcase its award-winning equestrian team and will honor the bravery of America’s first responders. This year’s unit, led by Michele Macfarlane, will feature horses hitched to an antique steam fire pumper. The team of acclaimed equestrians have marched in more than 40 Rose Parades.
How to watch
There are more ways to tune-in to the parade this year, whether you want to watch the broadcast live on television or live streamed. Starting at 8 a.m. PST, you can watch live coverage of the parade on NBC, ABC, Univision and for the first time, on CNN.
In another first, a group of creators will host a TikTok live from the Rose Parade, giving audiences from around the world a new way to see the show. The parade will also be livestreamed on multiple platforms, including FanDuel Sports Network, Fubo, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus and more.