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South Pasadena commission weighs fireworks, drone and hybrid shows for 2026 Festival of Balloons
Summary
City staff presented the 2025 Festival of Balloons report and asked the commission to recommend a format for the 2026 evening show — fireworks, drone, or hybrid — citing wide RFP price ranges, environmental concerns and a boosted budget. Commissioners agreed to receive the report and asked for more financial and environmental analysis before recommending to council.
South Pasadena staff on Tuesday reviewed the 2025 Festival of Balloons and asked the Community Services Commission for direction on whether the 2026 evening show should be a traditional fireworks display, a drone light show, or a hybrid of both.
Deputy Director Melissa Snyder said the 2025 celebration included a parade (47 entries), a daytime party in the park, a concert that drew roughly 2,000 ticket buyers and an evening fireworks display. "At a high level, the total event expenditures is roughly $86,000 with an estimate of $2,000 in staffing," Snyder said, and staff reported that revenue tied to the fireworks show was "just under…
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