Fire Took His Home, But Not His Spirit: PCC Legend Walt Butler Headlines Today’s Pasadena Black History Festival

Former PCC track and field champion Walt Butler will serve as grand marshal of Saturday’s 44th annual Black History Festival at Robinson Park, leading a celebration reshaped for the second consecutive year by the aftermath of the January 2025 Eaton Fire.

The festival, organized by the City of Pasadena and the Black History Planning Committee, runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. The traditional parade remains canceled as organizers focus on fire recovery, according to the committee. But the classic car show returns after its 2025 cancellation, and Grammy-nominated Pasadena native Angie Fisher headlines a live entertainment lineup.

Butler, who attended Pasadena High School and PCC, won the state junior college championship in the 120-yard high hurdles and went on to coach three consecutive state champions in the 400 hurdles at PCC from 1975 to 1977, according to PCC Athletics. He was inducted into the PCC Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame in 2014. He is also a member of the Pasadena Sports Hall of Fame’s 2020–24 class, recognized for his youth sports advocacy, according to the organization.

Butler lost his Altadena home of more than 60 years in the Eaton Fire. He has long served the community through his sporting goods store, Walt Butler Shoes, which he has operated in Pasadena since 1979, donating shoes to youth, seniors and members of the unhoused community, the announcement said.

“We are honored to have Walt Butler as our Grand Marshal for the 2026 Festival,” Pixie Boyden, the committee’s co-chair, said in a statement released by the city. “He is a shining example of who we are as residents of Pasadena, and a testament to our community. While we still grapple with the long-term effects of the Eaton Fire, we are proud to bring back portions of our festival that were cancelled due to circumstances.”

Dell and Dudley Stewart will serve as community grand marshals. Married for 70 years, the Stewarts have raised 12 children — four of their own and eight nieces and nephews — and have been members of New Revelation Baptist Church for more than 60 years, according to the city. Youth grand marshals include Adonis Moret, Jacob Chisanga Price and Olivia Trujillo-Jamison, recipients of the Black American Youth Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy and Achievement Awards, along with the Knight Skies Space Research Team from La Cañada High School.

James Farr, host of KBLA Talk 1580’s “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” will emcee the festival.

The entertainment lineup includes Fisher, whose 2014 single “I.R.S.” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Fisher, a Pasadena native, has performed alongside artists including Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey, according to the city’s entertainment announcement. Candace Lacy, Tanya DeCuir, Judah Lacy, Aretha Scruggs and Courtney Lindsey, known as SunWhoa, will also perform.

This year’s theme is “Unifying the Culture & Protecting Our Freedom, Passing the Baton to the Next Generation.” The Eaton Fire, which began Jan. 7, forced the cancellation of both the 2025 parade and car show. The committee said the car show was canceled last year out of respect for local car and bike clubs whose vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the fire.

The festival will include youth performances from local middle and high school students, food trucks, and community resource booths staffed by local organizations, according to the city. The event is free and open to the public.

Sponsors include the Pasadena Parks and Recreation Foundation, Tournament of Roses, Pasadena Management Association and PCC. For more information, call (626) 744-7311 or visit cityofpasadena.net/event/black-history-festival.