The Tournament of Roses named Ervin “Magic” Johnson its 2026 grand marshal for its 137th Rose Parade.
Johnson, a legendary former professional athlete, whose career with the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the 1980s personified the coming year’s parade’s theme: “The Magic in Teamwork.”
Johnson joins an eclectic mix of astronauts, entertainers, military leaders, politicians, sports stars, well-known figures from the worlds of business, journalism and science — a cartoon character and two beloved puppets — on a list that dates back to the 1890 inaugural Rose Parade.
How many do you remember or recognize?
2020s
2020 – Laurie Hernández, Rita Moreno and Gina Torres
2021 – None (parade cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic.)
2022 – LeVar Burton
2023 – Gabby Giffords
2024 – Audra McDonald
2025 – Billie Jean King
2026 — Ervin “Magic” Johnson
2010s
2010 – Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III
2011 – Paula Deen
2012 – J. R. Martinez
2013 – Jane Goodall
2014 – Vin Scully
2015 – Louis Zamperini (posthumous)
2016 – Ken Burns
2017 – Greg Louganis, Janet Evans and Allyson Felix
2018 – Gary Sinise
2019 – Chaka Khan
2000s
2000 – Roy E. Disney
2001 – Tom Brokaw
2002 – Regis Philbin
2003 – Bill Cosby, Art Linkletter and Fred Rogers
2004 – John Williams
2005 – Mickey Mouse
2006 – Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
2007 – George Lucas
2008 – Emeril Lagasse
2009 – Cloris Leachman
1990s
1990 – Sen. John Glenn
1991 – Bob Newhart
1992 – Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel, 18th Duke of Veragua (descendant of Christopher Columbus) and Rep. Ben Nighthorse Campbell
1993 – Angela Lansbury
1994 – William Shatner
1995 – Juan “Chi-Chi” Rodríguez
1996 – Kermit the Frog
1997 – Carl Lewis and Shannon Miller
1998 – Carol Burnett
1999 – Buzz Aldrin, Shirley Temple Black, Jackie Robinson (posthumous) and David L. Wolper
1980s
1980 – Frank Sinatra
1981 – Lorne Greene
1982 – James Stewart
1983 – Merlin Olsen
1984 – Danny Kaye
1985 – Lee A. Iacocca
1986 – Erma Bombeck
1987 – Pelé
1988 – Gregory Peck
1989 – Shirley Temple Black
1970s
1970 – Apollo 12 astronauts Alan L. Bean, Charles Conrad Jr. and Richard F. Gordon Jr.
1971 – Rev. Billy Graham
1972 – Lawrence Welk
1973 – John Wayne
1974 – Charles M. Schulz
1975 – Hank Aaron
1976 – Kate Smith
1977 – Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
1978 – President Gerald Ford
1979 – Lathrop K. Leishman
1960s
1960 – Vice President Richard M. Nixon
1961 – William F. Quinn
1962 – Albert D. Rosellini
1963 – Dr. William H. Pickering
1964 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower
1965 – Arnold Palmer
1966 –– Walt Disney
1967 – Thanat Khoman
1968 – Sen. Everett Dirksen
1969 – Bob Hope
1950s
1950 – Paul G. Hoffman
1951 – Corporal Robert S. Gray (For General Dwight D. Eisenhower)
1952 – Medal of Honor recipients: Major Carl Sitter, Captain Lewis Millett, Lieutenant Stanley Adams, Lieutenant Thomas Hudner, Captain Raymond Harvey, Sergeant Ernest Kouma and Sergeant Joseph C. Rodriguez
1953 – Sen. and Vice President-elect Richard M. Nixon
1954 – Gen. William F. Dean
1955 – Chief Justice Earl Warren
1956 – Charles E. Wilson
1957 – Eddie Rickenbacker
1958 – Robert Gordon Sproul
1959 – E. L. “Bob” Bartlett
1940s
1940 – Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy
1941 – E. O. Nay
1942 – Kay Kyser
1943 – Earl Warren
1944 – Amos Alonzo Stagg
1945 – Herbert Hoover
1946 – Adm. William Halsey
1947 – Bob Hope
1948 – Gen. Omar Bradley
1949 – Perry Brown
1930s
1930 – James Rolph
1931 – Gen. Charles S. Farnsworth
1932 – William May Garland
1933 – Mary Pickford
1934 – Adm. William Sims
1935 – Harold Lloyd
1936 – James V. Allred
1937 – Eugene Biscailuz
1938 – Leo Carrillo
1939 – Shirley Temple
1920s
1920 – Frank G. Hogan
1921 – W. A. Boucher
1922 – Harold Landreth
1923 – H.L. Gianetti
1924 – Col. George S. Parker
1925 – Lewis H. Turner
1926 – Col. L. J. Mygatt
1927 – Dr. C.D. Lockwood
1928 – John McDonald
1929 – Marco Hellman
1910s
1910 – Dr. Francis F. Rowland and Prof. Charles F. Holder
1911 – Dr. Ralph Skillen
1912 – E. H. Groenendyke
1913 – Leigh Guyer
1914 – Charles Daggett
1915 – M. S. Pashgian
1916 – Dr. Francis F. Rowland
1917 – Dr. C. D. Lockwood
1918 – Dr. Z. T. Malaby
1919 – Frank Hunter
1900s
1900-1901 – Charles Daggett
1902-1903 – C. C. Reynolds
1904-1905 – Francis F. Rowland
1906 – John B. Miller
1907-1908 – Dr. Ralph Skillen
1909 – Walter S. Wright
1890s
1890 – Dr. Francis F. Rowland
1891 – None
1892 – Dr. Francis F. Rowland
1893 – None
1894 – Dr. Francis F. Rowland
1895 – Dr. Henry H. Sherk
1896-1897 – Edwin Stearns
Source: Pasadena Tournament of Roses