Cal Poly Will Debut Soaring as One Float in 2027

The 2027 Rose Parade float will feature an elaborate botanical design created by university students.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Botany

Intricate bird wing sculpture made from layered flower petals and foliage, showcasing botanical craftsmanship in a workshop setting. — Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will debut their collaborative floral float, Soaring as One, at the 2027 Rose Parade. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will present their 2027 Rose Parade float, Soaring as One, on January 1, 2027. The project represents a collaborative effort by students to showcase unity through an intricate floral display.

Why it matters

The theme was selected to symbolize the uplifting feeling of belonging and inclusion. It continues a partnership between the two universities that has produced unique floral entries since 1949.

The float incorporates a 2,000-pound blimp and features a Canada goose with a 16-foot wingspan. Students cultivate the 42,000 flowers required for the display at both the Pomona and San Luis Obispo campus fields.

The players

Cal Poly Pomona

This public polytechnic university located in Southern California is one of the two institutions collaborating on the annual float.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

This public university located on the Central Coast of California works jointly with the Pomona campus to manage float construction.

The details

The design features a variety of birds, including a mallard duck, nene goose, great blue heron, and kiwi bird, alongside a blimp carrying a peacock and a Rhode Island red chicken. Students determine the theme and construction plans through a competitive process held each February.

The Cal Poly Rose Parade collaboration began in 1949.
The student design competition is held in early February.
Flower field planting began in September 2026.
Float construction begins in October 2026.
The float will be showcased on January 1, 2027.

Deeper Dive

This float entry continues the long-standing tradition of the Cal Poly Rose Float Program's annual participation. The project serves as a practical application of botanical and engineering knowledge within the institution.

The project demonstrates how academic research in plant biology can scale into large-scale public displays. Residents can observe the culmination of this botanical engineering when the float appears in the parade.

The takeaway

The project showcases the intersection of student-led agriculture and mechanical design in a high-profile public setting. Future participants can look to the annual February design competition to understand the development cycle of these complex entries.