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Date: March 30, 2026
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Citizen Development and Enrichment Committee From: Ted Stevens, Community Services Director
By: Monica Harte, Cultural Services Manager | [email protected] Subject: Community Services – Approve Proposed Float Design and Provide Direction on Funding Request for 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.
Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Community Services Director that the Citizen Development and Enrichment Committee:
1. Approve the proposed float design for the City's float entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2027; and
2. Provide direction on the funding request of $175,000 from Torrance Rose Float Association for the 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade float entry.
FUNDING
Funding is anticipated to be available in the General Fund’s fiscal year 2026-27 Operating Budget.
DISCUSSION
Last fall, the Torrance Rose Float Association (TRFA) opened their Conceptual Float Design competition with the four Torrance Public High Schools, Ambassador High School, and Sherry Continuation School. The 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses theme for the designs is “Welcome”, celebrating the joy of belonging, the warmth of community, and the feeling of being accepted.
The objectives of the "Conceptual Float Design Contest" are:
• To broaden awareness and interest in the City of Torrance Rose Parade Float. • To engage youth in the parade and our city's float.
This is the tenth annual TRFA design contest for Torrance High School students to present a conceptual design for the float; it has been a very successful process to date.
TRFA received ten float design submissions relating to the 2027 Parade theme. TRFA Board and Mr. Mike Abboud, President of Fiesta Productions Inc, reviewed the submissions and unanimously selected a conceptual design from Torri Jutabha from West High School. The conceptual design is titled “Rooted in the Same Tide”, and the drawing depicts sea animals with symbiotic relationships illustrating everyone’s place and purpose in a community. (Attachment 1). 1 City Council
March 30, 2026
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3 Also attached is the rendering from Fiesta Productions, inspired by the underwater scene of the original drawing for a cohesive float design titled “Welcome to Tranquility.” (Attachment 2).
As part of the fiscal year 2025-26 City Budget, City Council approved and allocated $175,000. On December 2, 2025, City Council approved an additional appropriation in the amount of $60,000 from the fiscal year 2025-26 General Fund’s fund balance to provide TRFA with money to pay the 2027 Tournament of Roses entrance fees due in January of 2026 as well as other expenses associated with launching the 2027 Torrance Rose Float campaign. TRFA is now requesting an additional $175,000 for the 2027 Torrance Rose Float for a grand total of $235,000.
If the conceptual design is approved, staff will develop an item that will be brought forward to the City Council to appropriate the funds to TRFA for the construction of the 2027 float entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.
The Community Services Director and the TRFA Board request that the City Council Citizen Development and Enrichment Committee:
1. Approve the proposed float design for the City's float entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2027; and
2. Provide direction on the funding request of $175,000 from Torrance Rose Float Association for the 2027 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade float entry.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2027 Torrance Rose Parade Float Student Conceptual Design
2. 2027 Torrance Rose Parade Float Design – Mike Abboud Fiesta Productions Inc. 2 ATTACHMENT A
ATTACHMENT 1
3 ATTACHMENT B
ATTACHMENT 2
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