Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe
Leading into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, the 53rd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe will open the week's festivities on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, a 1.5-mile march through Central Phoenix, will once again be nestled in the heart of Bowl Season. Held days after the Rate Bowl in downtown Phoenix, the Fiesta Bowl Parade will drum up excitement for the CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 8, with its traditional pageantry that attendees have grown to love for more than 50 years.
Interested community groups and participants may apply for entry into this year's Parade here, while marching bands should access their application here. Applications for all entries must be submitted by Friday, September 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. MST.
Additionally, for those interested in supporting the parade or learning more about partnership opportunities, please reach out to Parade@fiestabowl.org.
Each year, more than 3,000 men, women, children and animals participate in the Fiesta Bowl Parade, one of Arizona's most beloved holiday traditions, which is free of charge for all attendees. The Parade features larger-than-life balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands, friendly animals, community groups and more.
For those unable to enjoy the 2025-26 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe in person, the Parade will be broadcast live on Arizona's Family 3TV, Arizona's Family Sports Network and across its digital platforms.
This year's Grand Marshal will be WWE Star Nikki Bella. Bella, a two-time WWE Divas Champion and the longest-reigning titleholder in the division’s history, became one of sports entertainment’s most influential women and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021. Raised in Arizona and a Chaparral High School graduate, she excelled in soccer and rodeo before launching her WWE career in 2007. She remains closely connected to Arizona through community work, philanthropy, and family. Outside the ring, Bella has built a multifaceted career that has established her as a cultural icon. She starred in the hit reality series Total Divas and Total Bellas, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. As an entrepreneur, she has launched multiple lifestyle and beauty ventures, created her own wine label and continued to champion female empowerment and business leadership. She joins an esteemed list joined an esteemed list of past Grand Marshals that includes Anthony Robles, Charles Barkley, Jerry Colangelo, Alice Cooper, Richard Jefferson, Randy Johnson, Al McCoy, Jake Plummer, Kerri Strug, Diana Taurasi and more.
