Floral float celebrating the city’s counterculture legacy will feature in Pasadena on January 1, with visitors and residents invited to help decorate elements of the design in December.
San Francisco will bring its celebrated counterculture heritage to the 2027 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a floral float commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Summer of Love, the cultural movement that put the city at the centre of a global wave of music, art and social change.
The San Francisco Travel Association, the city’s official destination marketing organisation, will participate in the 138th Rose Parade, presented by Honda, on January 1, 2027. The float, titled Summer of Love, will launch the association’s anniversary campaign and showcase the movement’s enduring influence on San Francisco’s cultural identity.
Designed and built in partnership with Fiesta Productions Inc., the float will combine floral artistry with moving features and imagery inspired by the city’s history. Its centrepiece will be a larger-than-life flower child, accompanied by three oversized kinetic flowers, a floral representation of the Golden Gate Bridge and colourful hearts inspired by the Hearts in San Francisco public art initiative.
Fresh flowers and other natural materials will be used throughout the design to create layers of colour and texture, evoking the creativity, individuality and spirit of acceptance associated with the Summer of Love.
The original movement emerged in San Francisco in 1967, drawing young people, artists and musicians from across the United States and beyond. Its legacy continues to shape the city’s music, arts and neighbourhood culture, providing a focus for the anniversary campaign and an opportunity to promote San Francisco as a destination for cultural tourism.
“Sixty years later, it continues to shape the city’s music, art and neighbourhoods,” said Anna Marie Presutti, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, highlighting the movement’s continuing influence and the organisation’s ambition to encourage visitors to experience its legacy firsthand.
Public invited to participate in float preparations
The celebrations will extend beyond the parade itself. San Francisco Travel plans to bring elements of the float to Winter Walk, presented by JPMorganChase, at Union Square on December 18 and 19, 2026. Residents and visitors will be invited to help decorate components that will subsequently be incorporated into the completed float.
The initiative offers the public an opportunity to take part in the preparations for an internationally recognised event while engaging with San Francisco’s cultural story.
Mike Abboud, president and chief creative officer of Fiesta Productions, said the design was intended to reflect the distinctive character of the city, from its landmarks to its diverse communities. He described the Summer of Love as more than a historical moment, emphasising its continuing association with creativity, individuality and people coming together.
Terry Madigan, president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, said the movement’s message of acceptance and belonging aligned with the theme of the 2027 parade, Welcome. He welcomed San Francisco’s participation as a way to bring a significant part of the city’s history to audiences in Pasadena and around the world.
A global platform for destination promotion
San Francisco Travel’s return follows its participation in the 2026 Rose Parade, which the organisation said drew a reported 34 million television viewers in the United States. The 2027 event is expected to provide another major platform for destination promotion, placing the city’s cultural heritage before domestic and international audiences.
The 138th Rose Parade will take place on January 1, 2027, along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. The annual New Year’s Day event features elaborate floral floats, marching bands and equestrian units, and is broadcast to audiences worldwide.
By linking the Summer of Love anniversary with the parade, San Francisco Travel aims to turn international visibility into renewed interest in the city’s cultural attractions, neighbourhoods, music and arts scene.
