A GROWING PASSION: Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade

Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS 2

Pasadena California’s annual Rose Parade is world famous for spectacular floats covered in petals, seeds, leaves, grasses and bark. On this episode, we follow a group of Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo college students who together design, build, and drive the Universities’ 68th annual contribution to the float flotilla.

We show the entire process, from concept to construction, decoration to operation. Along the way, we take a side trip to one of the dozen California flower growers who supply the project with more than 50,000 flower stems.

Viewers will see how the preparations involve hundreds of volunteers who handle each bloom individually as it is prepared and applied to the float. We get a birds eye view of the 44 floats as they roll down Colorado Boulevard, and afterwards, get up close to examine the details and work that goes into these masterpieces of floral artwork.

1 of 9

Nan Sterman helps decorate the Rose Parade's DOWNTON ABBEY float in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

2 of 9

Highclere Castle recreated in flowers, potatoes, and all sorts of plant material in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

3 of 9

Nan Sterman (left) learns how to open a bird of paradise bloom in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

4 of 9

Mellano & Company of Oceanside, Calif., a source of California grown flowers for our Cal Poly float in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

5 of 9

Gummy bear rose float. Why is the Rose Parade on New Years Day? Find out what the parade founders were thinking on "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

6 of 9

Gummy bears made of gerberas and roses...see how it's done in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

7 of 9

Gummy bear hijinks...stealing the "T" from university with Host Nan Sterman. See it in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

8 of 9

Nan Sterman goes behind the scenes to learn how a float is built in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

9 of 9

Cal Poly's student built float is a certified "California Grown" entry. See how the student build a float in "Flowers And Floats - The Rose Parade."

Courtesy of AGP Productions (c)2016

Watch On Your Schedule: Episodes of A GROWING PASSION are available to stream with KPBS+. a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.

You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience).

Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.

About The Series: From earth-friendly and water-wise gardens to organic foods and habitat restoration, San Diegans demand options that protect our health, feed our communities and protect our natural resources. Hosted by Nan Sterman, A GROWING PASSION explores backyard food production, major horticultural growers, low-water landscapes and sustainable practices around the home and in the garden.