Cal Poly University’s float rolls down Colorado Blvd. during the 137th annual Rose Parade in front of of thousands of spectators. It rained heavily during the parade for the first time since 2006, and umbrellas were not allowed. Matthew Becerra | The Poly Post
Inside Cal Poly University’s highest award-winning Rose Parade float
Students from Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo came together over the past several months to turn steel, foam and flowers into a Rose Parade float featuring a robot named Lunchbox surrounded by wildlife. Little did they know during the process, this float would end up earning the Tournament of Roses’ highest honor.
Cal Poly University’s float won the Sweepstakes Award at this year’s Rose Parade Jan. 1, the parade’s top award is given to the “most beautiful entry, encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment,” according to the Tournament of Roses.
Behind the award-winning spectacle was a three month long, student-led process that required hundreds of hours of labor, cross-campus coordination and hands-on learning.
Thisphoto essay documents the float’s evolution from early lab days through deco week to New Years Day, showing how Cal Poly students transformed raw materials into the award-winning Rose Parade entry.
Students began preparing individual pieces of the float like the base for the main robot and wildlife animals for welding Oct. 25, 2025, which was the start of mounting week. During this time, early designs become physical structures, laying the foundation for the mechanical and visual elements that were later brought to life. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostA student welds pieces of the frame during mounting week after another student who worked on the float previously instructed her.“A lot of us come into this program with no experience at all,” said civil engineering student Kelly Luna-Flores. “That’s the best thing about this program. They’ll teach you anything that you want to learn.” Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostLevite Huang, mechanical engineering student welds together the frame of the float and its animal figures from Nov. 1 to Nov. 22, shaping the structure that supports the design. This prepares the float for sheeting. This is to create a barrier before insulation foam is sprayed on, forming the base for all decorations. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostAriel Oliveau, a landscape architecture student shaving foam off the back of the float to shape it into the design Dec. 13, the first day of design week. Design week occurs after the insulation foam is set. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostLevite Huang, Mechanical Engineering student welds a door panel onto the side of the float while another student sprays water from inside, preventing the insulation foam from catching fire. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostErin Wang welds the final sections of the float’s frame before it is covered, as another student behind her prepares the next section to ensure the float is fully prepared for transport to Pasadena. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostStudents unload tables and natural materials like statice flowers, coconut flakes and cattails from Pomona in Pasadena in preparation for deco week with 10 days left until the float has to be complete. Several different natural materials are donated to the program from places like The Huntington Gardens. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostRana Soussan, Kinesiology student hand painted the foam after it‘s carved, as spray paint isn’t allowed due to the float having to be covered in all natural materials. This is the float’s final stage before hundreds of volunteers add flowers and other natural materials to the float during deco week, which runs from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostAnna Wu, Civil Engineering student prepares one of the frogs to be covered in flowers and other natural materials by outlining the features like its eyes, mouth and different sections of the body. For Operations Chair Joseph Mendoza, deco week is his favorite, even though it involves 15-hour days in the coldest part of the year. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostJavier Zamudio, a technical theater student, sews together pieces for the animals on the float. “I just really enjoyed making these patterns, cutting all of these feathers,” Zamudio said. This project allows him to practice the hands-on experience needed in his future career field of costume and concealment in theater. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostMichelle Sturman said she returned this year to help with deco week alongside her son Mike Sturman, who served as design chair from 2022-2023. She said they both enjoy the chance to stay connected to CPP. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostCal Poly SLO Provost Al Liddicoat came to the warehouse to help attach flowers to the float. “It’s great to see the two teams together,” Liddicoat said. “It’s one of the big things that really brings our two campuses together and work toward a common goal.” Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostKaleb Lee, Computer Information Systems student removes protective covers that prevented paint from spilling from the float, making the float look presentable for pre-judging with two days left until the parade starts. Matthew Becerra | The Poly PostCal Poly University’s float rolls down Colorado Blvd. during the 137th annual Rose Parade in front of thousands of spectators. It rained heavily during the parade for the first time since 2006, and umbrellas were not allowed. Matthew Becerra | The Poly Post
