The Cal Poly Rose Float is soaring to new heights, with the team preparing to launch their newly designed float in just a few months.
Titled “Soaring as One,” the float will feature a Canadian goose with a 16-foot wingspan, a mallard duck, a nene goose, and a great blue heron in a V-shaped formation. Other flightless features include a kiwi bird riding in a hang glider, a peacock and chicken atop a blimp, and a jungle fowl flying with a pair of prosthetic wings.
“'Soaring as One’ was chosen to capture the uplifting feeling of belonging and being included,” says Cal Poly student and design chair, Sarah Vali. “With their newfound ability, the birds are embraced as one flock as they learn to fly alongside the others.”
The spirit of inclusion is reflected in the makeup of the Cal Poly team itself, with members participating from both Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Pomona.
Despite the roughly 250-mile separation, the team works to create new, innovative features in the float’s design.
This year, the two schools tackled updating the hydraulic system operating the birds, increasing their range of motion. Other projects included concealing a 2,000-pound blimp that moves vertically, and growing certain flowers for the float on campus.
“We’re growing plants we have never tried to grow on campus before,” says Natalie Cano, the Cal Poly Pomona decorations chair.
Over 42,000 flowers are used to decorate the float, including rare varieties such as Celosia, Gomphrena, Dianthus, chrysanthemums and other large leaves. The specific flowers were selected to imitate the feathered, fluffy look of birds in flight.
As the team prepares to travel to Pasadena, they hope to continue their winning streak after earning the Sweepstakes Award with the “Jungle Jumpstart” float in 2026.
But for Cal Poly Pomona team president Allyson Jane Castillo, the float means so much more than awards and accolades.
“This story has deeply resonated with our students because it reflects the spirit of inclusivity at the heart of our program: everyone has a place, every contribution matters, and together we can create something greater than what any of us can achieve alone,” said Castillo.
