10E
Date: December 2, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
John La Rock, Community Services Director
By: Monica Harte, Cultural Arts Manager | [email protected] Subject: City Manager and Community Services – Discuss and Provide Direction on Funding Request from Torrance Rose Float Association for the 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade Float Entry and Appropriate Funds. Expenditure: $60,000 (General Fund).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager and Community Services Director that City Council:
1. Discuss and provide direction on funding request from Torrance Rose Float Association for the 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade float entry; and
2. Appropriate $60,000 from the General Fund’s fund balance to the General Fund’s fiscal year 2025-26 operating budget, if Council direction is to approve the funding request.
FUNDING
Funding is available in General Fund's fiscal year 2025-26 Operating Budget.
DISCUSSION
Beginning in 1914, the Torrance Rose Float Association (TRFA) and the City have entered a float 70 times in the Tournament of Roses Parade. In recent years, the cost of producing a float for the Rose Parade has been approximately $175,000, a fixed cost that was supported by TRFA fundraising and the City’s allocation to the TRFA towards the cost of the Rose Parade float.
In 2024, following the business closure of the TRFA’s long-time float construction vendor, the TRFA received two quotes for the design and construction of the 2026 Rose Float: Artistic Entertainment Services (AES) quoted $150,000 and Fiesta Productions quoted $235,000. Due to logistical challenges and the malfunction of the float during the 2025 Rose Parade procession, TRFA chose Fiesta Productions to design and build the 2026 float at a cost of $235,000.
On May 6, 2025, the City Council approved the conceptual float design and approved a request by TRFA to increase the City’s funding allocation from $125,000 to $175,000 to support float construction for the 2026 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. In addition to the City’s increased allocation, the TRFA increased its fundraising goal from $50,000 to $93,275. TRFA has been actively fundraising and currently has sufficient funding to meet the projected 2026 Rose Float Parade expenses.
1 City Council
December 2, 2025
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1 It should be noted that the Cultural Services, City Manager’s Office-Communications, and Recreation teams collaborated on enhanced marketing and event opportunities to support awareness and fundraising for the TRFA float. The City’s marketing plan is attached to this report.
Although the 2026 float is funded, the TRFA is advancing the 2027 Rose Parade float and anticipates increases in start-up costs including parade registration fees and other expenses. As a result, the TRFA is requesting the City allocate $60,000 to fund 2027 Rose Parade float costs which begin in January 2026. It is staff’s understanding that TRFA will ultimately request Your Honorable Body consider an additional $175,000 in funding support for the total projected cost of the 2027 Torrance Rose Float.
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Marketing Plan
2. TRFA Financial Report
2 City Marketing Efforts
Communications
Newsletter:
eNewsletter (since September 25) and hero banner on the website.
IG:
Instagram Reel 11/16 + youtube short
Instagram Reel 11/5
Instagram Reel 11/9
Instagram Reel 10/28
Instagram Reel 10/23 + youtube short
Instagram Reel 7/23 + youtube short
Instagram Reel 6/12 + (pkg- https://youtu.be/NkSy_ygmPcE) Instagram Reel 6/9
Instagram Reel 5/29
https://www.instagram.com/p/DO6WTDglEUE/?img_index=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQsNchXjYMK/
FB:
https://www.facebook.com/TorranceCA/posts/pfbid0eREjAr5pp2CkPpPRKMYRDJhwVZ jvF9FDj3Je4MRCkhWMpJbtq5DPgzFx7DhNBcLTl
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1256566363180201&set=a.224487156388132 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1282921343878036&set=a.224487156388132 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1277409781095859&set=a.224487156388132 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1294080212762149&set=a.224487156388132
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7384284890453872640 ATTACHMENT 1
3 Cultural Services
The Utility Bill inserts
The Rose Vial notices will be included each week for 8 weeks beginning Nov 15 Cultural Arts Commission:
Nov 17 Cultural Arts Commission Item - Roseanne gave a presentation Division Events:
Open House – City Academy of the Arts-Torrance
Display/Flyers Nov 22 City Academy Open House and Holiday Craft Sale A Nice Family Christmas –Torrance Theatre Company
Advertisement in printed program for A Nice Family Christmas Inclusion in pre-curtain announcements
Civic Chorale Winter Concert
Inclusion in Concert Program Dec 20th at 5:30 p.m.
Flyers with Donation Code in Lobby
Division Social Media promotion through Cultural Services and TTC accounts Recreation
Winter Snow Day
Tent at the Winter Snow Day at Wilson Park Dec 13th – 4,000+ attendees 4 Torrance Rose Float Annual Budgeted Income
2025-2026 - 2026 Float Entry
Donations
City of Torrance (Actual to date) 175,000
Corp Sponsorships (Actual to date) 12,000
70 for 70 Campaign (Actual to date) 500
Go Fund Me Campaign (Actual to date) 700
Individual contributions (Budgeted) 3,000
Restaurant for Roses (Budgeted) 2,000
Rose Vial Sales
300 x $10/ea (no cost) (Budgeted) 3,000
Promotional sales(net proceeds) 2,500
T-shirt, hats, pins less cost (Budgeted)
Float Rider Seats 10,500
7 x $1,500/ea (Limo itemized below) (Budgeted)
Parade Tickets (net proceeds)
Ticket sales : $160pp x 50 - Programs (Budgeted) 7,250
Celebration Dinner
Sales less Cost 2,000
Total Budgeted Operating Income:
Torrance Rose Float Annual Operating Expenses
2025-2026 - 2026 Float Entry
Float Build
Fiesta Productions 235,000
Volunteer Buses 10,000
Volunteer Wk Food 4,000
Volunteer Wk Storage 500
Limo for Float Riders 2,500
Parade Bus 3,500
Participation
Pasadena Tournament Entry Fee 7,500
Operating Expenses
Bank/Paypal/Square service fees 600
ATTACHMENT 2
5 Chamber membership 255
Attorney General of Charitable Trust 75
Raffle Registery with State 30
Tax Preparation 500
Postage & Post office Box 150
Website fees - Domain 75
Website fees - Weebly 300
Website fees - Gsuite for emails 70
Website fees - Power 166
Use Tax 346
Printing and office supplies 600
Various Marketing 250
Insurance 1,856
Total Operating Cost:
Total Net Inc/(Loss):
2025-2027 Float Costs
2025 Float Cost
City of Torrance Contribution 125,000
Association Contribution for Float Build 25,000
Total Paid to AES, Creative Inc.
Association Contribution for Additional Costs 25,000
2026 Float Cost
City of Torrance Contribution 175,000
Association Contribution for Float Build 60,000
Total Paid to Fiesta Productions
Association Contribution for Additional Costs 33,275
Total Raised by Association to Date 43,452
Current Shortfall
2027 Float Request
City of Torrance Requested Contribution 235,000
Association Contribution for Float Build 0
Total Projected to Fiesta Productions
Association Projected Contribution for Additional Costs 40,000 6 193,200
3,000
2,500
10,500
7,250
2,000
218,450
255,500
7,500
7 5,273
268,273
-49,823
150,000
175,000
235,000
268,275
-49,823
235,000
275,000
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