Eleven years before “Star Wars,” when the space race dominated the news and movies such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” were hits, a multi-ethnic, peace-loving, sci-fi TV show called “Star Trek” made its quiet debut.

While the show struggled at first, the franchise blossomed with series’ spinoffs and six motion pictures with the cast of the original series, thanks to avid fans who attended fan-fests and dressed up as the half-alien character with the pointy ears, Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, and as Sulu, played by Los Angeles’ own Japanese-American actor, activist and author, George Takei.

Looking ahead to Jan. 1, 2026, New Year’s Day, Paramount Pictures and CBS will kick off 60 years of “Star Trek” by sending a float down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena’s 137th Rose Parade.

The float “will reflect values of hope, inclusivity, exploration and unity,” according to CBS.

It will also tout an upcoming new series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” which will launch next year on Paramount+. The show will feature young cadets vying to become Starfleet officers and will include their friendships, enemies and love interests.

The Star Trek franchise owners have not said who will ride on the float.

The most marketing-forward choice may be the stars of the new show, Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti.

Some are talking about Takei, or possibly William Shatner, who starred as Capt. James T. Kirk in the original show and in several “Star Trek” movies. He was Rose Parade grand marshal in 1994. But that is only speculation.

Actor William Shatner waves to the crowd as he leads the 105th Tournament of Roses parade as Grand Marshal in Pasadena, on Jan. 1, 1994. Know as Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise’s legendary James T. Kirk, Shatner off screen is a dedicated horse breeder. (AP Photo/Doug Pizak)

Also, LeVar Burton, who played Geordi La Forge, the blind Starfleet officer in seven seasons of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and was a star in the ABC mini-series “Roots,” could be a possibility.

Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton reads from his book “The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm” during the Welcome Back to the Altadena Libraries Celebration on Saturday March 22, 2025. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)

Burton, longtime host of “Reading Rainbow,” recently came to Altadena to usher in the reopening of the Altadena Library after the devastating Eaton fire in January. He also was the 2022 Rose Parade grand marshal.

The sci-fi franchise began with “Star Trek: The Original Series,” created by Gene Roddenberry that debuted in 1966, and has since sprawled into a multi-billion dollar cultural phenomenon.

It celebrated the diversity of America by including characters of different races and ethnicities on the starship “Enterprise” working together to save lives and help each other survive battles.

One could say it fits into the parade’s theme: “The Magic In Teamwork.”

Today, fans, known as Trekkies, have enjoyed countless movies, spinoff shows and video games based on the original series.

Set in the Milky Way a couple hundred years in the future, the series followed the crew behind the starship USS Enterprise. Their journey led them to, “Boldy go where no man has gone before,” as Shatner, who played Captain  Kirk, famously said at the top of every episode.

On Jan. 1, we all know where the “Star Trek” float will go: north on Orange Grove Boulevard, then east on Colorado Boulevard, a 5.5-mile slow ride into the unknown adventures of 2026.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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