CITY OF GROVER BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 12
Placement: Business
Meeting Date: July 27, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Larry Kim, Community Services Supervisor
SUBJECT: Recommendations from the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission Regarding 2026 Holiday Events
RECOMMENDATION
Receive a report on the recommendations from the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission (PRBC) regarding the City’s holiday events for 2026 and provide direction to staff.
DISCUSSION:
For the past several years, the City’s main holiday event has been the annual Grover Beach Holiday Parade. This past year’s event showcased nearly 40 organizations and businesses with approximately 800 people in attendance. With a parade route covering six blocks along Grand Avenue, this parade typically includes three announcement booths with over 25 community volunteers and approximately 20 City staff supporting the event. An award ceremony and pictures with Santa is typically held at Ramona Center immediately following the end of the parade.
Pursuant to previous direction from the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission (PRBC), the holiday parade was moved to the second Saturday of December instead of its traditional first Saturday of December to separate the parade from competing holiday events in other cities on the same weekend. The 2025 parade was the first year of this change as the 2024 parade was rained out. Despite this change, parade participation this past year was lower than expected and the relatively short parade time led to some people telling staff they missed the parade entirely.
Staff also heard community feedback indicating that changing to the second weekend in December may have negatively impacted attendance given the number of other parades held on the first weekend, which compete for parade participants and community attendance.
At the December 18, 2025 PRBC meeting, the Commission asked staff to study the feasibility of adding a holiday park event in addition to our annual parade. Such an event would consist of crafts, activities, and entertainment in a winter holiday theme, complete with photos with Santa, similar to the Santa’s Village events that were held several years ago.
Community Services staff reached out to the Police Department and Public Works Department, to see what additional needs and costs would be associated with adding an event. Staff determined that adding an additional holiday event at the scale discussed by the PRBC would require significant funding (an estimated $8,000) that is not currently budgeted. These costs would include equipment rentals, artist and performer fees, overtime for police and City staff, as well as promotional costs. Additionally, existing staff resources do not provide capacity for successfully Staff Report: PRBC Recommendation for Holiday Park Event Page 2 July 27, 2026
planning and executing two large-scale holiday events in a single year. Having two events would also be challenging in the recruitment of volunteers, especially during the holiday season.
Staff brought this information to the PRBC at the April 16, 2026 meeting for the Commission to consider an alternative park event at Ramona Garden Park in lieu of a parade that would be comparable in cost. Replacing the parade with a holiday event would also require fewer staff resources and fewer street closures. A park event would be a longer multi-hour event for the community to enjoy throughout the day, whereas the annual parade generally lasts approximately 40 minutes.
During this meeting, the Commission unanimously recommended that the City host a holiday park event as the City’s main holiday event in lieu of a parade. Commissioners indicated during their deliberation that they had carried out public outreach individually to inform their decision. The Commissioners noted that the City may analyze the success of this change in the following year, with the option to have a holiday parade again in future years. If the Council provides direction concurring with this recommendation, staff will plan for this event and reach out to various community groups to advise them of this change of holiday events and encourage participation in this new event.
FISCAL IMPACT
Changing the Grover Beach Holiday Parade to a Holiday Park Event will not impact the current budget as the costs between the two events are comparable. Costs for a holiday event are included in the Community Service operating budget for FY 2026-27.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council has the following alternatives to consider:
1. Receive a report on the recommendations from the PRBC regarding the City’s holiday events in 2026 and provide direction to staff; or
2. Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.
Multi-Year Goals
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☐ Water & Wastewater Infrastructure ☐ Community Engagement ☐ Street Improvements and Maintenance