January 1st brought about a new year, and is tradition, the Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. In it’s 119th year and with more than one million people lining the parade route on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, the New Mexico Tourism Department received the prestigious Grand Marshal’s Trophy for their "Passport to Our World & Beyond" float.

Given for "excellence in creative concept and design," The Grand Marshal’s Trophy is one of the top three awards given each year. New Mexico’s winning float featured space creatures created in crushed split peas that flew through clouds of crisp white coconut and maneuvered around colorful planets of hot pink, orange, and purple roses and carnations. The spacecraft of shimmering silverleaf protea had accents of gray poppy seeds and white coconut flakes. The space port, decorated in yellow strawflower and button mums, soared to a height of 24 feet over gardens of 50,000 green roses including Jade, Limbo and Super Green. The spacecraft rocked from side to side as blasts of carbon dioxide rose from the rear of the craft.

Designed by award-winning float designer Raul Rodriguez, New Mexico’s float was built by Fiesta Parade Floats of Pasadena, CA under contract with the Tourism Department. In addition to their win for New Mexico, Fiesta Parade built floats that won four out of the five trophies given in this year’s parade. In what is only their second year participating in the Tournament of Roses Parade, this is New Mexico’s first trophy.

 Riding the float was Jenny Marlow, Miss New Mexico 2008. Jenny was seen being interviewed prior to the parade on Fox Channel 11 and KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles and nationally on the Travel Channel.

Winning this coveted prize is considered quite a coup for the state’s tourism industry, as nearly 40 million Americans in 16.5 million households tuned in to watch the parade on nine national and international television networks. As the parade was also broadcast live in 150 countries and territories, New Mexico’s win is expected to give the state enormous exposure.