10C
Date: September 15, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
Robert Dunn, Chief of Police
By: Jin Chun, Public Engagement Manager | [email protected] Subject: City Manager and Police – Discuss and Provide Direction on 2027 Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration Format and Schedule Adjustments, Approve Committee's Recommendation to Move Forward with Event Planning , and Accept and File the June 30, 2026, Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee Meeting Minutes. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager and Chief of Police that City Council:
1. Discuss and provide direction on the 2027 Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration format and schedule adjustments; and
2. Approve the Committee’s recommendation to proceed with event planning; and
3. Accept and file the minutes of the June 30, 2026, Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee meeting.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
This year’s celebration retained the traditional weekend format while introducing several operational changes intended to improve efficiency, accessibility, and the participant experience.
For the first time, the military exhibit was relocated to the Torrance City Yard and operated from Friday through Sunday. The 5K run/walk was also relocated to the Civic Center and Sports Complex area. The parade continued along Torrance Boulevard from Crenshaw Boulevard to Madrona Avenue. The weekend began with a military welcome reception at the Western Museum of Flight. Following the parade, the City hosted a formal banquet for visiting military and civic leaders. The U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West also performed a concert that was organized independently and was not part of the City's official event lineup. At the City Yard, food trucks and a family-friendly kids zone hosted by the Torrance Police Foundation expanded the community experience. Torrance Transit provided free park-and-ride shuttle service from the Mary K.
Giordano Regional Transit Center to improve access and reduce parking demand near the exhibit site.
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September 15, 2026
Planning and operations took place amid changing federal military commitments and a heightened security environment, which limited the availability of military personnel and equipment. Staff remained in regular communication with military partners, adjusted operations as conditions evolved, and implemented enhanced public safety and situational-awareness measures so the celebration could proceed safely and successfully. Torrance remains committed to honoring and recognizing the service and sacrifice of members of all six branches of the United States Armed Forces through this long-standing community tradition and is excited to begin planning for the 65th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration anticipated to taking place from May 14-16, 2027.
Proposed 2027 Event Overview
Planning for the 2027 Armed Forces Day weekend includes a refined schedule and operational adjustments intended to improve efficiency, enhance the participant experience, and manage public safety and staffing resources. The following is the staff-recommended schedule and programming for consideration.
Friday – Military Welcome Reception
The 2026 Friday evening welcome reception was well received, and staff recommends hosting it again at the Western Museum of Flight, subject to the venue’s availability and approval.
Continuing the reception on Friday evening would formally welcome visiting military dignitaries while improving operational efficiency and reducing public safety staffing demands by eliminating the need to transport dignitaries back to the event area early Saturday morning following the 5K run.
Saturday Morning – 5K Run
The Armed Forces Day 5K, hosted by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, is traditionally held on Saturday morning. The proposed start and finish location is the Torrance Courthouse parking lot, pending final approval from the Judicial Council. If the site is unavailable, staff recommends using the 2026 location near Civic Center and the Sports Complex area on Maple Avenue.
Parade Operations and Participant Logistics
City and military dignitaries, along with their guests participating in the parade, will assemble at the Civic Center Plaza in front of the Toyota Meeting Hall. Buses will be staged at the plaza to transport participants to their designated parade starting locations. This approach proved successful in 2026 and will continue to streamline staging operations and reduce congestion along the parade route.
Post-Parade Dignitary Reception
Following the parade, a cocktail hour and dinner banquet will be held at the Torrance Marriott, continuing the tradition of hosting visiting military and civic leaders in a formal setting.
Military Exhibit
The military exhibit is recommended to continue at the Torrance City Yard throughout Armed Forces Day weekend. Staff recommends shifting Friday, May 14 hours to 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., allowing military branches additional time to deliver assets and complete setup while providing families and students greater opportunity to attend after school. The exhibit would continue Saturday, May 15 from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 2 City Council
September 15, 2026
I n addition, staff is exploring new opportunities recommended by the Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee, including:
• Equestrian entries
• Outreach to local robotics team and programs
• Increase marketing efforts with paid promotional ads
• Gathering public input on programming suggestions
Next Steps and Council Direction
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Discuss and provide direction on the 2027 Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration format and schedule adjustments; and
2. Approve the Committee’s recommendation to proceed with event planning; and
3. Accept and file the minutes of the June 30, 2026, Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee meeting.
ATTACHMENT
1. June 30, 2026, Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee Meeting Minutes 3 June 30, 2026
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL ARMED FORCES DAY SPECIAL STANDING COMMITTEE
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Armed Forces Day Special Standing Committee Meeting convened in a regular meeting on June 30, 2026 at 01:05 pm in the LeRoy J. Jackson Council Chamber.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Mattucci, Committee Member Kalani and Kaji
Absent: None
Present: Public Engagement Manager Jin Chun, Management Associate Carlos Huizar, Lieutenant Charles Fisher.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The pledge of allegiance was led by Committee Member Kalani.
3. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Chair Mattucci welcomed those in attendance and requested that committee members introduce themselves to the public.
Staff presenting:
Public Engagement Manager Jin Chun
Lieutenant Charles Fisher
4. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A. Accept/File After-Action Report on the 2026 Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration, and Provide Direction for the 2027 Event. Expenditure: None.
Public Engagement Manager Jin Chun introduced this item to the Committee with Lieutenant Charles Fisher provided the after-action report using slides.
Executive Summary
• 64th Annual Armed Forces Day Celebration successfully conducted • No major public safety incidents
• Event conducted during elevated international tension and military operational commitments
• Multiple venue and programming changes implemented
• New attractions, introduced including Torrance Police Foundation Kids Zone and Military Exhibit Site Food Trucks
• Significant staffing and resource commitment required ATTACHMENT 1
4 • Staff successfully adapted to changing operational conditions and delivered a safe and successful event.
Key Highlights and New Programming
• Relocated Military Exhibit, successfully transitioned the military exhibit to the City Yard.
• New Kids Zone
• Transit and Logistics: Introduced a successful Transit Park and Ride service, carrying 1,106 total rides over the 3-day weekend • Added food trucks and successfully relocated the Dignitary Reception to the Western Museum of Flight
Event Metrics & Participation Comparison
• Parade Spectators: Decreased by 18.6% year-over-year, dropping from 5,900 in 2025 to 4,800 in 2026.
• Military Parade Entries: Decreased by 20%, going from 20 entries in 2025 down to 16 in 2026.
• Flyover Aircraft: Increased by 33%, rising from 18 aircraft in 2025 to 24 in 2026.
• Military Exhibit Visitors: Welcomed a total of 1,550 visitors over 3 days at the new City Yard location.
• 5K Runners: Decreased by 8.67%, with 874 runners in 2026 compared to 957 in 2025.
• 5K Military Runners: Decreased by 80.11%, with 37 participants in 2026 compared to over 200 in 2025.
• Dignitary Banquet Attendance: Decreased by 10.14%, with 124 attendees in 2026 compared to 138 in 2025.
• Sponsorships: Increased from $11,825 in 2025 to $16,000 in 2026, highlighted by a $10,000 "Gold Sponsor" commitment from Toyota Hydrogen Solutions.
Safety & Security Operations
Due to the elevated threat landscape, the Torrance Police Department maintained a high security posture:
• Deployed an active Incident Command Post, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordination, and civil unrest contingency plans. • Implemented extensive vehicle mitigation measures, including Meridian barriers, alongside SWAT dignitary protection.
Financial Summary
• Total Marginal Expenditures: The 2026 event cost $453,495.77, which reflects a decrease from the 2025 cost of $498,433. These figures reflect actual fiscal impact expenses (lodging, rentals, catering, barriers, etc.) and exclude regular city staff hours.
• Police Personnel Costs: Incurred $169,743.26 in staffing costs. • Dignitary & VIP Parade Car Rental: Accounted for $8,743.60. 5 • Marriott Banquet & Lodging: Banquet venue, catering, and dignitary lodging totaled $65,000.00.
• Materials & Security Equipment: Materials, supplies, contracted services, and security equipment totaled $210,008.91.
Challenges & Future Considerations
• Challenges: Faced declining military participation due to global commitments, parking limitations at the new City Yard exhibit site, multi- venue operational strain, and a compressed planning timeline. • Future Outlook: The Council and Council Committee will need to evaluate future footprint sustainability, secure early venue certainty, monitor attendance trends, and consider expanding family-oriented programming.
Chair Mattucci asked if anyone from the public would like to speak at this time.
Several members of the public spoke and provide their feedback about the event and shared input for consideration for next year’s event.
Chair Mattucci inquired on whether data was available on who attended the event from local residents to regional. Public Engagement Manager Jin Chun responded that data was not readily available, but can be researched and provided to the Committee at a later time.
MOTION: Committee Member Kalani moved to concur with staff’s recommendation with the following additional recommendations from the Committee: possibly incorporate equestrian entries for next year, invite local groups like the Robotics teams to submit an entry, look at ways to get more corporate partnerships if it does not conflict with military protocol, look into ways to get more public input on what they’d like to see from the weekend events, continue park and ride option, and look into paying for advertising beyond just social reels, to increase visibility. The motion also included forwarding these recommendations to the City Council. Committee Member Kaji seconded. The motion carried by a vote of 3-0.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Chair Mattucci asked if there were any members of the public that wished to speak under the Public Comment section. No members of the public wished to speak at this time.
6. CLOSING REMARKS
Public Engagement Manager Jin Chun thanked the Committee for their time and stated that the information provided in this meeting will be presented to City Council at a later date.
7. ADJOURNMENT
6 At 2:30 pm, Committee Member Kaji moved to adjourn the meeting. Committee Member Kalani seconded. The motion carried by a vote of 3-0.
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