It will be a tough act for Cal Poly to follow after winning the top honor for a float in the 2026 Rose Parade, but the Cal Poly float building team is seeking your design ideas for its 2027 parade entry.
The 2027 parade theme is "Welcome," celebrating the simple joy of belonging, no matter who or where you are.
People can submit their ideas for the float design now through February 5 to the Cal Poly Rose Float leadership team, a group of about 60 students split between Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona. The two universities have been jointly building floats for the parade for nearly eight decades.
The team will review the suggestions and decide on a winner. The winner can choose between a $500 prize or tickets to the 2027 parade.
This year’s Cal Poly entry, called Jungle Jumpstart, won the parade’s Sweepstakes Award. It’s the first time they’ve won the parade’s highest honor.
