Kermit the Frog shall be entrance and heart on Go to Mississippi’s 2026 Match of Roses Parade Float.
For the second consecutive yr, Mississippi will participate within the iconic Match of Roses Parade on New 12 months’s Day.
Go to Mississippi, the state’s tourism company, introduced on Wednesday that its 2026 Rose Parade float will carry the theme “Mississippi: The place Creativity Blooms.” Whereas the 2025 float centered completely on Mississippi-born musicians, subsequent yr’s entry will provide a broader tribute to the state’s wide-ranging inventive legacy.
On the coronary heart of the float shall be Kermit the Frog, honoring Mississippi native Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets. Enhancing the celebration of the humanities, Mississippi-born nation music artist Charlie Worsham will carry out reside on the float, joined by dancers in a energetic showcase of the state’s inventive spirit.
The float will even function a stage adorned with paintings impressed by the late Walter Anderson, a beloved artist from Ocean Springs. Directional indicators will level to key cultural landmarks throughout the state, together with the Mississippi Arts + Leisure Expertise in Meridian, the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Artwork in Biloxi, the USA Worldwide Ballet Competitors in Jackson, and the Mississippi Writers Path.
A symbolic stack of books will show covers of works by legendary Mississippi authors reminiscent of Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright, and Jesmyn Ward.
Based on Go to Mississippi government director Rochelle Hicks, the float serves as a vibrant tribute to the state’s profound inventive impression — from main the nation in Grammy Awards per capita to producing Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning expertise.
“We’re thrilled to showcase Mississippi’s inventive heartbeat on a worldwide stage,” Hicks stated. “This float is greater than a celebration – it’s a tribute to the artists, musicians, and storytellers who proceed to encourage generations.”
Due to Davis.Muppets for the heads up.
