On January 1, Louisiana participated in the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float called “Gulf to Gumbo.” The float was created with the help of more than one hundred volunteers from Louisiana who decorated it with over 100,000 flowers. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser said, “We’ve got over a hundred volunteers that came out from Louisiana and helped us put these flowers on the float, over 100,000 flowers that we’ve put on this float.”
The design included a large pelican chef stirring a pot of gumbo. Representatives from tourism bureaus across the state were present on the float. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain described how the float was constructed: “We’re making this float with crushed oyster shells, rice, and over 100,000 roses, 100,000.” Strain also highlighted the purpose behind this year’s entry: “It starts with seafood from the Gulf. And then when you add in all of our roux, all of our peppers, all of our vegetables and Louisiana rice, all coming together.”
The float aimed to promote Louisiana’s agriculture and seafood sectors. American Idol runner-up John Foster performed as the musical guest aboard the float.