Every New Year’s Day, floats with ingenious designs and stunning colorful floral displays dazzle viewers around the world during the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. They’ve been described as mobile art galleries and living sculptures decorated with all organic materials – flowers, seeds, bark. Each float represents a different city, state, university and organization, both national and international.
But while local cities like Burbank have often made appearances in the parade, there has yet to be a float that represents the San Fernando Valley as a whole. However, a nonprofit aims to change that in the 2027 Rose Parade with the first valley-themed float.
The San Fernando Valley Rose Parade Organization (SFVRPO) was formed three years ago by My Valley Pass, the official digital tourism guide for the region. Its founder, Oscar Urrutia, has tried several times in the past six years to get a float into the parade, but fundraising efforts failed to raise the needed funds.
To create a float fit to ride in the Rose Parade, significant funding is needed to cover the costs for the design, materials and construction. On average, floats in the parade cost $275,000. Additionally, each participant must pay an entry fee – $7,500 for noncommercial entries and $25,000 for commercial entries.
The SFVRPO has been fundraising for two years, setting a goal of $350,000. After collecting donations from private donors and the public, the nonprofit has raised enough to build its first float.
“The valley has always taken the back seat when it comes to Los Angeles, and so we needed to do something that would be on an international scale,” Urrutia said. “This was the only thing I could think of that would put the valley on the map on its own two feet. … It’s a great feeling to see it come to fruition.”
The nonprofit is still pushing to raise the final $50,000 they need for flowers and other organic materials to decorate the float, but whether or not the entire amount is raised, they are committed to rolling out an entry for this upcoming parade.
The mechanics and frame of the float have already been constructed; they’re now in the intermediate phase of building, which entails applying fiberglass and other materials onto the body of the float.
“Welcome” to the Valley
With the theme of the 2027 parade being “Welcome,” Urrutia and the other organizers decided it would be perfect to design the float to “welcome” parade-goers to the valley.
The float features plenty of local iconography, including the Circus Liquor Clown sign found in North Hollywood; the mascot of Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank; the Matador mascot from California State University, Northridge; the LA Aqueduct; the 1965 Learjet owned by aviation pioneer Clay Lacy to represent Van Nuys Airport; and an image of a drive-in movie theater that used to be found throughout the valley. A barbershop quartet will ride on the float, singing Bing Crosby’s “San Fernando Valley.”
“Suffice to say that [the float] is a great presentation of both the valley’s history, but also present,” said David Phelps, principal consultant for SFVRPO. “Special guests will also be joining us on the float.
“The valley is a distinct destination, and it has its own attractions that deserve proper recognition,” he added. “It was important for the valley, as a geographic region, to get its due to be highlighted on a national and international stage.”
Both Urrutia and Phelps would like to see their valley-themed float become an annual tradition in the Rose Parade, but Urrutia said it all depends on how quickly they can raise funds. He hopes to have another float in 2028; after that, he ideally wants to have a float at least every other year.
To make a donation for the San Fernando Valley float, go to https://www.myvalleypass.com/sfv-rose-parade.
