Downey Rose Float Association earns Founder Trophy at 2026 Rose Parade

Photo courtesy Reggie Donahue

PASADENA — The Downey Rose Float Association was honored Thursday with the Founder Trophy at the 2026 Rose Parade, recognizing the organization for the most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization.

The award was announced by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses following judging conducted during the final stages of float decoration ahead of the New Year’s Day parade. The Founder Trophy is one of 23 official honors presented annually and highlights community-driven craftsmanship and volunteer participation.

Downey’s float was self-built and self-decorated, a distinction that places it among a small group of entries created entirely by local volunteers. Judges evaluated floats on creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, animation, thematic interpretation, color presentation, and overall impact.

This year’s Rose Parade theme, “The Magic in Teamwork,” underscored the collaborative spirit behind Downey’s entry. The Founder Trophy specifically recognizes floats that exemplify volunteer dedication and community involvement, a hallmark of the Downey Rose Float Association’s long-standing participation in the parade.

The Sweepstakes Trophy, awarded for the most beautiful entry overall, went to Cal Poly Universities. It marked the first Sweepstakes win for Cal Poly and the seventh time the honor has gone to a self-built float.

Other major award winners included Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, which received the Judges Trophy for dramatic impact, and the City of Burbank, which earned the Theme Trophy for its presentation of the parade’s theme. The City of Santa Fe Springs received the Queen Trophy for the most outstanding presentation of roses, while La Cañada Flintridge was awarded the Mayor Trophy for the most outstanding float from a participating city.

Judging was conducted by a panel of three judges who reviewed each float during pre-parade decorating sessions. Award banners for winning floats were carried along the parade route by members of the Tournament of Roses Troop, including Gold Award Girl Scouts and Eagle Scouts.