If you’ve seen the hit film adaptation, caught the live version currently onstage at the Pantages and you still can’t get enough Wicked, the Rose Parade has you covered this New Year’s Day with a float inspired by the movie musical.
Sure to be the most “Popular” parade newcomer, the high-flying effort fittingly entitled “Defying Gravity” depicts Glinda (Ariana Grande) and her bubbles, a mid-flight Elphaba (a better likeness of Cynthia Erivo), a shimmering Emerald City, the Yellow Brick Road and fields of tulips, both real and sculpted.
The iconic Rose Parade—now in its 136th year—is a New Year’s Day institution the world over, but especially here in SoCal. And while its floral floats are always imaginative and delightful, they don’t usually directly tie into pop culture or the biggest releases of the past year, making the Wicked float stand out even more.
The float—a collaboration between Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses—fetes and promotes Wicked’s release on Digital. As of today, you can purchase or rent the hit movie—a four-time Golden Globe nominee and the highest-grossing musical film adaptation ever—from the comfort of home, perfect for kicking off 2025 with a cozy movie night (we recommend the sing-along version).
So how did Phoenix Decorating Company bring the frenemy witches and the 55-foot-long float to life? Magic, of course—that and 76,748 flowers. Elphaba’s hair and nails are crafted from black onion powder, curly seaweed and fine-ground parsley, while her hat and cape are made of black seaweed and onion seed. Glinda’s dress gets its color from pink carnations, her crown and wand from white everlasting and pink strawflower. The Emerald City’s brilliant hues are thanks to Kermit mums, gold flax seed, mung beans and green split peas, with accents of green parsley flakes and brown coffee.
Tune in to the parade at 8am PT tomorrow on NBC and YouTube. Or you can stake out a spot in person along the parade route. The procession kicks off near the Norton Simon Museum, but if you head to the eastern half of the route, you should be able to easily find a spot with a decent view on Wednesday morning without having to camp out overnight as many do. For true Rose Parade and Oz fans, the best option is making your way to Floatfest: A Rose Parade Showcase, which lets you get up close and personal with the intricate floral handiwork of the floats after they finish their route. Floatfest runs from January 1–2, and tickets are $25.
Here’s hoping the witches of Wicked work their magic to conjure up a good 2025 for us all.