Mayor Karen Bass is being slammed as un-American for a last-minute decision to pull funding for a Valley neighborhood group who wanted to close their main street for a 4th of July Parade marking America’s 250th birthday.
The Sunland-Tujunga Fourth of July Parade, the longest-running Independence Day parade in the San Fernando Valley, has been canceled after organizers say the city withdrew support and left them facing at least $20,000 in traffic control and street closure costs.
“The mayor’s office jerked us around for so long,” said Lydia Grant, president of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council.
“It’s devastating. We’ve been doing this parade for over 50 years.”
Organizers announced Monday that it was ”with great sadness” that they’ve be unable to host the parade.
The event, hosted annually by the Sunland-Tujunga-Shadow Hills Rotary Club and the Neighborhood Council, is the centerpiece of the community’s Independence Day celebration.
The parade was set to draw marching bands, equestrian groups, vintage cars, local organizations, elected officials and homemade floats.
Grant said she was especially surprised because Mayor Bass told the group her office would help with the event, as the office had done for decades.
“I was very shocked because the mayor herself said to contact her staff to get it done,” Grant said. “Then they started ignoring us. This has never happened before.”
According to Grant, organizers were initially told costs would be around $15,000, but the final estimate exceeded $20,000.
She said the delays left organizers with no realistic opportunity to fundraise or secure sponsors before the July 4 event.
“They delayed so long that we didn’t have time to schedule or fundraise,” Grant said. “Then the DOT gave us the bill.”
The cancellation hits particularly hard in a community that has already watched several long-standing events disappear over the years because of rising costs.
“We’ve ended up losing most of our festivals,” Grant said.
“We used to have a summer festival, a watermelon festival, National Night Out and the Fourth of July celebration. Slowly, because of the costs, they’ve been taken away.”
Grant said she finds the situation especially frustrating given recent city spending on demonstrations and protests.
“All the ICE protests that they paid money for, now they don’t have money,” Grant said. “They’re investing money into protests and activism instead of something that would bring our community together.”
Grant told The Post that for generations of local families, the parade has been more than just a holiday event.
“Little League teams, cheerleaders, veterans, historical groups and community volunteers all have marched through town.”
“I went to this parade as a kid,” Grant said. “I brought my kids to this parade. Now I want my grandkids to experience it.”
The cancellation comes as communities across the country prepare to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary year, adding to the disappointment felt by many residents.
“Sorry to hear it. Especially the 250th year. Thanks, Mayor Bass,” Edward Jacobs wrote on the social media post announcing the cancellation.
“I think it would have been nice to know about this financial shortfall in advance. Perhaps community members could have raised money to ensure that this event would continue,” wrote Samantha Jones-Miramontes.
Others tied the cancellation to Los Angeles’ increasingly heated mayoral race.
“#SpencerPratt — Maybe our mayoral candidate would like to know about this!” resident Erin Dyer wrote.
Longtime participants also lamented the loss of a tradition many considered a cornerstone of community life.
“Quite disappointing. Our local Village Poets always enjoyed riding, walking and handing out poems,” wrote Pamela Shea.
Grant also said the loss comes at a time when communities desperately need opportunities to unite.
“This is an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate,” said Grant. “I feel like it’s being taken away from us.”
The Post reached out to Bass for comment on this story.
