The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance earned the prestigious Sweepstakes Trophy at the 136th annual Rose Parade® Presented by Honda. This recognition, awarded for the most beautiful entry featuring outstanding float design, floral presentation, and entertainment, marked the second consecutive year the Alliance has achieved this honor.
The float, titled Friendship Across the Earth, celebrated the historic arrival of giant pandas Yun Chuan (“yoon chu-an”) and Xin Bao (“sing bao”), the first pandas to enter the United States in over two decades. The five-year-old male Yun Chuan and four-year-old female Xin Bao debuted at the San Diego Zoo on August 8, 2024, a date officially designated as “California Panda Day” by Governor Gavin Newsom. The theme of the 2025 Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Best Day Ever, emphasized life’s extraordinary moments.
Central to the float were intricate depictions of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, positioned amid a lush bamboo-filled ecosystem. Xin Bao, whose name translates to “precious treasure of prosperity and abundance,” gazed ahead, embodying hope for the new year while the lyrics of Best Day Ever played. Next to her, Yun Chuan enjoyed bamboo shoots, symbolizing the enduring legacy of panda conservation partnerships. His name honors his grandmother, one of the first pandas at the San Diego Zoo.
The float also showcased Connor, the Malayan tiger, known for his vibrant orange stripes and majestic presence. Above the cascading waterfalls, red pandas Lucas and Adira swung playfully among the treetops. Riding below were San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance representatives Dr. Megan Owen, Jana Biedenweg, and Dr. Xiaoxing Bian—a global conservation leader, a wildlife expert, and a scientist—highlighting the organization’s role in wildlife conservation worldwide.
The float’s design incorporated more than 700,000 individual plants, cultivated and maintained by the San Diego Zoo’s horticulturists. As an accredited botanical garden and arboretum, the Zoo features over 3,100 plant species integral to its global conservation efforts. Specific plants, including yellow groove, golden, and black bamboo, were grown at the Zoo and transported to Pasadena, enhancing the float’s natural beauty and authenticity.