Louisiana will roll its sixth consecutive float down Colorado Boulevard on Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, this time featuring alligators, crawfish and French Quarter details under the banner "Bienvenue en Louisiane," French for "Welcome to Louisiana."

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser unveiled the design on Aug. 20 and announced New Orleans singer Robin Barnes as the state's mid-parade entertainer, according to Pasadena Now. The float's title ties directly to the 138th Rose Parade's theme, "Welcome," which Tournament of Roses President Terry Madigan announced in January.

The design centers on a pelican, Louisiana's state bird, surrounded by Spanish moss and imagery drawn from the French Quarter. Like every Rose Parade entry, the float must be covered almost entirely in natural material. The Louisiana Office of Tourism said crews will use roughly 25,000 roses, orchids, coconuts and other plant matter.

Barnes, known as "The Songbird of New Orleans," is a Billboard Top 10 charting artist who blends jazz, funk, soul and second-line energy. Born and raised in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, she released her debut full-length album, "Louisiana Love," in May 2026. The state also identifies her as Louisiana's State Music Ambassador.

"To perform at the Rose Parade and represent my home state of Louisiana is truly a dream come true," Barnes said at the Aug. 20 unveiling.

The Louisiana Office of Tourism sponsors the float. Nungesser oversees the office as the state's tourism commissioner. The office said coverage of its floats over the past five years reached more than 1.6 billion people and generated $192.5 million in media value, figures it describes as a 45-to-1 return on investment. Louisiana's entries have won Tournament of Roses honors four straight years: the Wrigley Legacy Award in 2022, Showmanship Awards in 2023 and 2024, and the Director's Award in 2025.

In the days before the parade, the float will be finished by hand at a Pasadena decorating site open to public viewing. The Louisiana Office of Tourism directed residents to its Rose Parade webpage for details on volunteering to help decorate.

The 138th Rose Parade, presented by Honda, steps off at Green Street and North Orange Grove Boulevard, turns east onto Colorado Boulevard and ends near North Sierra Madre Boulevard and Villa Street. The 5.5-mile route draws approximately 800,000 spectators, with tens of millions more watching the broadcast beginning at 8 a.m. Pacific on ABC, NBC and Univision.