Sunland-Tujunga’s July 4 parade returns, buoyed by rekindled donations

Sunland-Tujunga’s annual July 4 parade marched anew on Saturday, rescued from cancellation by rekindled sponsorships and donations.

The Sunland/Tujunga/Shadow Hills Rotary Club, which conducts the parade, announced its cancellation June 1, citing the Los Angeles city government no longer being able to provide services to “First Amendment events” free of charge due to budget cuts.

On June 5, the club announced the parade would be held “thanks to widespread support from our community and beyond.”

Living up to this year’s parade theme — Celebrating Our 250 Years — participants and spectators displayed American spirit by honoring freedom, heritage and community together.

Kicking off the parade at 10 a.m. were members of the Los Angeles Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team showing their skills near the intersection on Foothill Boulevard at Summitrose Street. The parade proceeded west on Foothill to its end at Sunland Recreation Center.

The grand marshal was Paul Pangburn, a U.S. Army veteran and a three-time recipient of the Purple Heart. Pangburn has lived for more than 50 years in Sunland. He worked as a machinist and then as an engineer for more than two decades at NASA JPL. Pangburn has been a leader at the American Legion Post 377 in Tujunga for many years including serving for seven years as its commander.

Parade entries included  American Legion Post 377, young “Cheer Camp” members from Sunland Recreation Center, equestrians, community organizations and church floats, members of the local historical society from Bolton Hall Museum, parading singers, a Little League team, and the “Oldest Rock” in Sunland-Tujunga (for those who are wondering, see the rock’s website here).

The parade often has an estimated 5,000 spectators, according to the Rotary Club’s press release, and some of those viewers along the street may have marched or been on a float in a past parade.

Two local elected officials in the parade were State Sen. Caroline Menjivar and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. Rodriguez’s city council 7th district office was one of the sponsors of the parade.

Sponsors also included the American Legion Post 377 and Caruso’s Italian Kitchen in Tujunga. In addition, many community residents chipped in with large and small donations to cover the costs of putting on the parade this year.

Two more dignitaries attending the parade were Marla R. Ciuffetelli, LAPD Deputy Chief, Operations-Valley Bureau, and, Gloria Romero, a candidate for Lt. Governor in November.

The Sunland-Tujunga Shadow Hills Rotary Club, sponsoring the parade since 1982, is a non-profit organization. Information about the Rotary Club, the grand marshal and the parade: facebook.com/sunlandrotary

For the second consecutive year, the club stressed that the parade will be a “water-free event” and asking attendees not to bring “water balloons, Super Soakers, etc.”

During the 2024 parade, someone hurled a water balloon at one of the vehicles in the procession, according to the entertainment website TMZ. Actor Danny Trejo, who was among the parade’s participants, then left his vehicle to go after the perpetrator, according to the website.

City News Service contributed to this report