Twenty-four of the 50 floral beauties in the Rose Parade receive official honors from the Tournament of Roses in a variety of categories and specifications. The entire process is another one of the Tournament's components implemented over a greater part of the past century.

A three-member judging panel, comprised of civic and floral industry leaders, is appointed by the Tournament of Roses Judging Committee to evaluate the floats within a range of classifications. Scores are based on criteria such as creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, floral and color presentation, and dramatic impact.

Three judging sessions take place, twice during the decorating stages and once a few hours before the New Year celebrations commence. Scores from each judging session are then combined to determine the trophy recipients. Results are released to the media immediately prior to the start of the Rose Parade.