Ken Striplin, City Manager
City of Santa Clarita
23920 W. Valencia Boulevard
Santa Clarita, California 91355
By email
May 4, 2026
Dear Mr. Striplin:
The Santa Clarita Valley (originally “Newhall”) Fourth of July Parade has been an annual tradition since 1932. It has been an honor and a privilege to help keep this tradition alive since 1996, when I took over the parade from Bob Martin and Virgil Saunders of the Downtown Newhall Merchants Association (DNMA). Over these past 30 years, the legal owner of the parade has been DNMA, followed by an independent not-for-profit commit- tee, and most recently SCVTV , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation.
Much has changed in 30 years. In 1996, our city had not yet seen its tenth birthday. There were no cell phones, no social media, and email use wasn’t universal. We had a robust volunteer committee that organized all aspects of the parade. A dozen subcommittee chairs were responsible for discrete parade functions and came together year after year to perform their duties.
Today, many longtime parade volunteers are no longer with us; most organizing functions are automated and/or handled by City staff; and the dramatically increased cost of insur- ing a huge community event that draws an estimated 25,000 spectators annually exceeds the means of a small nonprofit organization.
For these reasons, I wish to relinquish our ownership interest in the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade to the City of Santa Clarita, both personally and on behalf of SCVTV per SCVTV Board Resolution 2026-2 (attached).
Since its inception, the parade has been a whole-community celebration. As it changed incrementally through the years, one thing remained constant: It has reflected who we are as a community. All are welcome to participate, regardless of political, religious, or other affiliation. While commercial entries have always been welcome – from the Newhall Ice Company in 1932 to the SCV Farmers Markets in 2025 – the parade itself is unaffiliated and noncommercial. Maintaining a level playing field has been our guiding principle.
The City of Santa Clarita is the logical entity to own and manage the parade. Upon the transfer of ownership, parade entry fees, if any, would be collected and managed by the City of Santa Clarita. Historically, entry fees have covered the cost of incidentals such as trophies, signage, portable toilets, and stipends for contracted musical entries. Ownership of current operational resources including the parade website (SCVParade.com) would transfer to the City.
Our City is the one local entity with the capacity and intention to operate the parade in a nondiscriminatory manner. I hope the City will retain “Valley” in the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade name, as the parade has always been for everyone without regard to municipal boundaries.
SCVTV has provided live and tape-delayed coverage of the parade for many years. In re- cent times, SCVTV has utilized a minimum of 6 cameras and approximately two dozen crew members to provide this coverage. In doing so, SCVTV has provided the means for the rest of the community – those who aren’t among the 25,000 spectators – to enjoy the parade, and SCVTV’s coverage has enabled participants to see themselves and share their experiences with out-of-town friends and relatives. It is the intention of SCVTV to con- tinue to provide this coverage.
Certain aspects of the parade are part and parcel of the television production. The televi- sion production requires an orderly lineup, usually with a grand marshal and division marshals; a script; and judged entries insofar as the telecast includes the identification of trophy winners. Thus, we propose that SCVTV continue to coordinate with the City staff and take responsibility for the following parade functions:
•
Lineup
, including designation of grand and division marshals
• S
cript
• Judging
of entries (but not trophies)
The transfer of ownership and management of the parade and its operational resources would take immediate effect upon approval by the City. SCVTV’s decision to transfer ownership is not contingent upon the City’s acceptance of any or all of the recommenda- tions outlined above.
Thank you for your consideration.
Leon
Worden
Secretary, SCVTV
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-02
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SCVTV APPROVING
THE TRANSFER OF ALL RIGHT, TITLE, AND INTEREST IN THE
SANTA CLARITA VALLEY FOURTH OF JULY PARADE TO THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA,
SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL
WHEREAS, SCVTV has held certain rights, title, ownership, or other interest in and to the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade; and
WHEREAS, SCVTV has used or held the name "SCV Fourth of July Parade" as a fictitious business name, trade name, or related organizational designation in connection with the operation of the parade; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade is a long-standing community event serving the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interest of SCVTV and the community for SCVTV to transfer all of its right, title, and interest in and to the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade to the City of Santa Clarita; and WHEREAS, such transfer is subject to approval by the Santa Clarita City Council; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of SCVTV hereby approves the transfer, assignment, and conveyance to the City of Santa Clarita and/or abandonment of all of SCVTV's right, title, and interest in and to the Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade, including any rights associated with the name "SCV Fourth of July Parade, " any fictitious business name, trade name, goodwill, records, and other related interests, subject to approval by the Santa Clarita City Council;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon approval by the Santa Clarita City Council, the President or Secretary of SCVTV is authorized to execute any documents and take any actions reasonably necessary to effectuate this resolution.
ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of SCVTV on May 1, 2026. ________________________________
Leon Worden, Secretary
SCVTV