The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s “Giant Strides Together” float will celebrate teamwork and African elephants at the 2026 Rose Parade in Pasadena.

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has announced the theme of its upcoming float for the 137th Rose Parade held in Pasadena on New Year’s Day.

This will be the Wildlife Alliance’s fifth consecutive year partnering with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. The 2026 parade theme, “The Magic in Teamwork,” will celebrate working together to achieve greater outcomes, according to the parade’s website.

The Wildlife Alliance’s float, themed “Giant Strides Together,” will celebrate African savanna elephants and preview the Denny Sanford Elephant Valley, opening in early 2026 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. The organization said this aligns with the parade’s theme because elephants are the “architects of the earth.” It said African savanna elephants move trees and carve corridors used by people and other wildlife across the savanna, showing their ability to collaborate within ecosystems. 

The float will feature intricate designs of four members of the Safari Park’s iconic African savanna elephant herd: matriarch Swazi and her daughter Qinisa, as well as Umngani and her daughter Mkhaya. Umngani and Mkhaya gained international recognition earlier this year when they and other herd members formed a protective “alert circle” during an earthquake.

WATCH: What you may have missed in the viral elephant earthquake video from San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said this year’s float will also feature “mesmerizing plants and a dazzling array of flowers,” including savanna grasses grown by experts at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, both of which are accredited botanical gardens. 

“This year’s float celebrates the majestic elephant, a symbol of collaboration and teamwork, which are values at the heart of our mission,” said Shawn Dixon, interim president and chief executive officer, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Our depiction of the Safari Park’s elephant herd at the Rose Parade will inspire excitement and anticipation for the unforgettable experience awaiting guests at Elephant Valley when it opens.”

Elephant Valley is the largest project in San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s 109-year history, the organization said in a news release. The immersive experience will allow guests to walk surrounded by elephants on multiple sides while learning about their crucial role in the ecosystem.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a strong track record at the Rose Parade. The organization won the Sweepstakes Award for most beautiful entry in both 2024 and 2025. The 2025 float, themed “Friendship Across the Earth,” commemorated the historic arrival of giant pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to the San Diego Zoo. The 2024 float, themed “It Began With a Roar,” celebrated the San Diego Zoo’s 107-year history.

For more information about Elephant Valley, click here.Â