California may be over 1,700 miles from Mississippi, but that didn’t stop the Magnolia State’s contributions to the arts from being showcased in the 137th Rose Parade.
When the annual New Year’s Day parade rolled through Pasadena on Thursday morning – albeit being the first rainy Rose Parade in two decades – Mississippi’s “Where Creativity Blooms” float showed thousands of attendees and millions of viewers what the state has brought to areas like visual arts, literature, music, and cinema.
“We really were trying to think of something visually appealing that really speaks to what somebody could come and see and do in Mississippi,” Visit Mississippi executive director Rochelle Hicks explained beforehand. “We thought, ‘We’re so known for all of the creative arts that we have in our state. We’re rich in creativity, so why not focus on that?”
Some of Mississippi’s brightest creatives, both past and present, had tribute paid to them through the float. The stage that was performed on live by Jackson-born country star Charlie Worsham was wrapped in artwork inspired by late Ocean Springs artist Walter Anderson. Behind Worsham was a towering Kermit the Frog, seemingly strumming along but with a banjo, the character of course being a brainchild of Leland native Jim Henson and the first non-human to ever grand marshal the Rose Parade in 1996.
RELATED: Why Visit Mississippi had to ask Disney to use Kermit the Frog on the Rose Parade float
Trailing Kermit was a structure portraying a stack of books with titles coming from William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright, and Jesmyn Ward. Right in front was a directional sign that, as Hicks said, showed people how they can celebrate the arts when living in or visiting Mississippi. It pointed to places like the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian, the Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, and the Mississippi Writers Trail that ranges statewide with 14 stops.
WATCH: Mississippi was on full display during the 137th Rose Parade with Charlie Worsham singing on the state’s “Where Creativity Blooms” float. 🎉🌹
(🎥: @RoseParade) pic.twitter.com/aRCiLvz81P
— SuperTalk News (@SuperTalkNews) January 1, 2026
It’s the second year in a row that Mississippi has participated in the Rose Parade. The 2025 float, titled “Birthplace of America’s Music,” celebrated the state’s bluesy roots and paid specific homage to B.B. King and Elvis Presley. It was honored with the Past Presidents Award for the most outstanding innovation in the use of non-floral and floral materials.