2027 Rose Parade theme is short and thought-provoking ‘Welcome’
It may seem simple, but newly named Tournament of Roses President Terry Madigan hopes “Welcome,” the theme for the 2027 Rose Parade he will preside over, gets people thinking.
Madigan made the announcement Thursday, Jan. 15, on the front steps of Tournament House in Pasadena at a brief 8 p.m. ceremony attended by about 100 Tournament members.
“It’s probably the simplest theme we’ve had in a very long time, however, I think it’s a really complex concept and that’s what excited me the most about it,” Madigan said. “Everyone will come to it, hopefully, from a different place and really experience something different within the theme.”
“Welcome” is just the third-ever one-word Rose Parade theme and last one since 1983’s “Rejoice!” The first-ever Rose Parade with a theme was the 1918 edition, which also happened to be one word, “Patriotism.”
Madigan emerged from the front door of the Tournament House at 8 p.m. sharp alongside his husband Kevin Sommerfield.
Before the full reveal the crowd reacted with “oohs” when Madigan said his theme was just one word.
“At its core, this year’s theme simply tells the story of what the Tournament of Roses does every day,” Madigan said.
Madigan closed the ceremony by inviting those gathered on the front lawn inside to continue the celebration.
“Welcome, everyone,” he said.
The selection of the theme and grand marshal of the Rose Parade are two of the key jobs of the president, which rotates to a new person each year.
Madigan said he and his husband have been thinking about “Welcome” as the theme for the 138th edition of the parade for about three years. There was not a long list of several options or a long drawn out selection process. Madigan settled on it quickly.
“I think welcome is one of the most important concepts we have. It’s a human concept,” Madigan said. “The ability to kind of bring people into your circle, that sense of belonging, that sense of being part of a group. Having a place that’s meaningful to you.”
His theme ties into what Madigan said is a core principle of the Tournament of Roses. He often says that the Tournament welcomes the world to Pasadena and welcomes Pasadena to the world each year.
Madigan has been a Tournament of Roses member since 1993 and on the executive committee since 2018 serving in several capacities during his tenure. The sixth generation Californian grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and as a teenager twice drove the City of South Pasadena float entry in the Rose Parade.
Madigan represents an historic moment for the organization as he becomes the first openly gay president in the Tournament of Roses 137-year history. Madigan serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer for the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center.
A certified personal chef and owner of a personal chef service serving Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, Madigan earned a Diplôme in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts from the California School of Culinary Arts.
Madigan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and journalism from USC and had a career in marketing and communications before turning cooking into a full-time career.
In addition to selecting the theme, Madigan helped with the design of the 2027 Rose Parade poster. Designed to look like a postcard it spells out the word “Welcome” with a photo in each letter representing an aspect of the Tournament including its historic headquarters, bands, equestrian, fans and in the center, a photo of a Tournament volunteer.
Surrounding the word “Welcome” are roses and in the background is the Colorado Street Bridge and the San Gabriel Mountains.
“It’s to take the nostalgia of our 137-year history here in Pasadena and pull it forward with some of the modern elements that really represent who we were and who we are today,” Madigan said.
The announcement was streamed live on the Tournament of Roses YouTube channel.