{"id":117821,"date":"2026-01-02T21:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T21:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117821\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T21:02:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T21:02:11","slug":"san-diego-floats-bloom-bright-at-2026-rose-parade-nbc-7-san-diego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117821\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego floats bloom bright at 2026 Rose Parade \u2013 NBC 7 San Diego"},"content":{"rendered":"

Flower petal-decorated floats were awarded honors for the 137th Rose Parade, with two San Diego creations among those taking top honors.<\/p>\n

Standing out was another amazing entry from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, which featured a small herd of full-size animatronic elephants, among other eye-popping elements. The float, called Giant Strides Together, won the Grand Marshal Award for Most Outstanding Creative Concept and Float Design.<\/p>\n

The San Diego Zoo took top honors in the Tournament of Roses Parade in 2024-25, winning the 2025 Sweepstakes Trophy for its entry Friendship Across the Earth. The float, designed by Azusa-based Artistic Entertainment Services, features the zoo’s two giant pandas frolicking around their new home.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tNBC<\/p>\n

\t\t\tNBC<\/p>\n

The San Diego Zoo’s float at the 2025 Rose Parade on Jan. 1. <\/p>\n

This year’s float from Lifesharing won the President’s Award for Most Outstanding Use and Presentation of Flowers. The entry featured the portrait of a boy from Poway, Drew Wilson Chan, whose organ donations saved three lives.<\/p>\n

Also on hand in Pasadena on Thursday was the U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band, a combination of military ensembles from across Southern California that included members from Camp Pendleton.<\/p>\n

This year’s Rose Parade theme was The Magic in Teamwork.<\/p>\n

Did you have a favorite float? Here’s what the judges thought. <\/p>\n

Travel South Dakota: Carved in Stone; A Legacy of Teamwork
Americana Award for most outstanding depiction of national treasures and traditions.<\/p>\n

Kindness is Free, Powered by Boys & Girls Clubs of the West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside: Building Kinder Communities
Animation Award for most outstanding use of animation<\/p>\n

City of Alhambra: Bee Magical Together
Bob Hope Humor Award for most whimsical and amusing float<\/p>\n

“Shrinking” (Apple TV and Warner Bros. Television Production): We’re Getting There. Together
Crown City Innovator for most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology<\/p>\n

The UPS Store: Sharing Skills for Success
Director’s Award for most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

The UPS Store “Sharing Skills for Success” float decorated with seahorses in the rain during the 137th Rose Parade on New Years Day in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

San Francisco Travel Association: Believe In San Francisco
Extraordinaire Award for most extraordinary float<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"A<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tGetty<\/p>\n

\t\t\tGetty<\/p>\n

A San Francisco float rolls down the route of the 137th Rose Bowl Parade on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026,<\/p>\n

California Community Foundation and Black Freedom Fund (Artistic Entertainment Services): Rising Together
Fantasy Award for most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

The California Community Foundation and Black Freedom Fund “The Rising Together” float to honor victims of the Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu wildfires features a Phoenix rising as it moves down the parade route in the rain during the 137th Rose Parade on New Years Day in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2026. <\/p>\n

Downey Rose Float Association: The Glow of Achievement
Founder’s Award for most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization<\/p>\n

Odd Fellows & Rebekahs: Together We Grow
Golden State Award for most outstanding depiction of life in California<\/p>\n

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Giant Strides Together
Grand Marshal Award for most outstanding creative concept and float design<\/p>\n

No Award
International Award for most outstanding float from outside the United States<\/p>\n

Elks U.S.A.: Elks Care, Elks Share
Isabella Coleman Award for most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design<\/p>\n

Sierra Madre Rose Float Association: Pancake Breakfast
Judges Award for most outstanding float design and dramatic impact<\/p>\n

America250: Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years
Leishman Public Spirit Award for most outstanding floral presentation from a non-commercial participant<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

The America250 float “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years” with a trio of Bald Eagles moves down the parade route in the rain during the 137th Rose Parade on New Years Day in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

La Ca\u00f1ada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association: Goin’ Nutz
Mayor’s Award for most outstanding float from a participating city<\/p>\n

City of South Pasadena: The Great Picnic Heist!
Past President’s Award for most outstanding innovation in the use of floral and non-floral materials<\/p>\n

OneLegacy Donate Life: Treasure Every Moment Together
President’s Award for most outstanding use and presentation of flowers<\/p>\n

City of Torrance: Together In Harmony
Princess Award for most outstanding floral presentation among entries 35 feet and under in length<\/p>\n

City of Santa Fe Springs: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Inspiring the Future!
Queen’s Award for most outstanding presentation of roses<\/p>\n

Shriners Children’s: Building Dreams Together
Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment<\/p>\n

City of Burbank: All Paws On Deck
Theme Award for most outstanding presentation of the Rose Parade Theme<\/p>\n

Lions International: In Harmony We Serve
Tournament Volunteer Award for most outstanding floral presentation of the Rose Parade Theme among floats 35 feet and under in length<\/p>\n

Trader Joe’s: You Float Our Boat!
Wrigley Legacy Award for most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design and entertainment<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"People<\/p>\n

People ride on the Trader Joe’s “You Float Our Boat!” float in the rain during the 137th Rose Parade on New Years Day in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Flower petal-decorated floats were awarded honors for the 137th Rose Parade, with two San Diego creations among those…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117822,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[23066,74,76,75],"class_list":{"0":"post-117821","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego","8":"tag-rose-parade","9":"tag-san-diego","10":"tag-san-diego-headlines","11":"tag-san-diego-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117821"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117821\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}