Torrance volunteers plan appreciation dinner after Rose Parade ‘Princess’ win

Volunteers for the Torrance Rose Float said during public comment that they plan an appreciation dinner to mark the float's win of the Princess Award at this year's Rose Parade. "We're having an appreciation dinner to celebrate our Torrance Rose Float winning the princess trophy," one resident said.

The remarks described the float as a major civic showcase and outlined how volunteers and fundraisers support the project. "We usually record it, so we watch it at a time other than at 08:00 in the morning," another resident said, describing how volunteers watch for parts they worked on. A third speaker said Torrance has been part of the Rose Parade since 1914 and that volunteers hold a banquet after the event: "Our first float was 1914, everyone. So Torrance has been a integral part of the Rose Parade for a long time."

Speakers said the volunteer effort includes decorating shifts that couples and neighbors attend together, fundraising activities such as silent auctions and basket raffles, and small prize drawings at the appreciation event. "We have fundraisers of all kinds. We have baskets that you can put in. We have silent auction," one commenter said. Organizers also plan to serve cake and a dinner at the appreciation banquet.

Speakers described the in-person parade atmosphere in Pasadena, saying thousands of spectators line the route and volunteers who ride the float wave to the crowd. "There are hundreds of thousands of people on this street in Pasadena," a resident said, calling the experience "magical."

The volunteers did not specify a date, time or location for the appreciation dinner in the recorded remarks. They also did not lay out formal requests for city action during the comments; the statements focused on volunteer appreciation, fundraising and the float's history and traditions.