For the second year in a row, the state of Mississippi will participate in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day.
Visit Mississippi, the state’s tourism arm, announced Wednesday that its 2026 Rose Parade float will be titled “Mississippi: Where Creativity Blooms.” After the 2025 float was solely focused on musicians who hail from the Magnolia State, the new float will give parade-goers and TV viewers a broader sense of all the different artists who have called Mississippi home.
“The centerpiece of ‘Mississippi: Where Creativity Blooms’ will feature Kermit the Frog, representing Mississippian Jim Henson’s Muppets. Adding to the artistic flair, Mississippi native and country music star Charlie Worsham will perform live on the float, accompanied by dancers, bringing the state’s artistic excellence to life,” a press release stated.
The float’s stage will be wrapped in artwork inspired by late Ocean Springs artist Walter Anderson. Directional signage will symbolically point people toward places like the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian, the Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, and the Mississippi Writers Trail.
A stack of books atop the float will include covers from works by Mississippi authors Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright, and Jesmyn Ward.
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The design, according to Visit Mississippi executive director Rochelle Hicks, is a perfect homage to the creative side of the state that has produced the most Grammys per capita in the U.S., Pulitzer Prize winners, and even a Nobel Prize when Faulkner won it for literature in 1949.
“We’re thrilled to showcase Mississippi’s creative heartbeat on a global stage,” Hicks said. “This float is more than a celebration – it’s a tribute to the artists, musicians, and storytellers who continue to inspire generations.”
The 137th Rose Parade will be held Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at 10 a.m. CT and run until noon in Pasadena, Calif.
