Eaton Fire Survivor Walt Butler Named Grand Marshal of Pasadena’s Black History Festival

Walt Butler spent six decades helping his neighbors in Altadena, donating shoes to kids who needed them, mentoring youth, assisting seniors and the unhoused. In January 2025, the Eaton Fire took his home. On February 21, his community will honor him.

The City of Pasadena and the Black History Planning Committee announced this week that Butler, 83, will serve as Grand Marshal of the 2026 Black History Festival. The former Pasadena City College track and field athlete and coach won the state championship in the 120-yard high hurdles in 1962 and later helped guide three consecutive PCC state champions.

“We are honored to have Walt Butler as our Grand Marshal for the 2026 Festival,” said Pixie Boyden, Co-Chair of the Black History Planning Committee, 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. The Youth Grand Marshals are Bobby Milton, Carlos Ferreira Gaxiola, Vaughn Cross, Malik Husaini, Danial Jamshidi, Christopher Baghdassarian, Luca Bonnici, and Alec Heberger. James Farr, host of the KBLA Talk 1580 radio program “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” will serve as emcee.

Butler, who attended Pasadena High School and Pasadena City College, was inducted into the PCC Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Pasadena Sports Hall of Fame.

After his athletic career, he continued to serve his community through his sporting goods store, Walt Butler Sport Shoes, where he donated footwear to those in need—a practice rooted in his own childhood memory of having holes in his shoes.

When the Eaton Fire struck on January 7, 2025, Butler retreated from his home on foot in the middle of the night. His story went viral after he spoke to “Make Big Talk” about his loss, and supporters raised more than $900,000 through a GoFundMe campaign started by his children to help him rebuild.

This year’s Black History festival, themed “Unifying the Culture & Protecting Our Freedom, Passing the Baton to the Next Generation,” takes place Saturday, February 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. For the second consecutive year, the traditional parade has been canceled.

The Black History Committee said it is focusing efforts on fire recovery and honoring the community’s current landscape, according to the city announcement.

The classic car show will return this year after being canceled in 2025 out of respect for local car and bike clubs whose vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the fire. Festival activities will include youth performances from local middle and high school students, live entertainment, food trucks, and community resource booths staffed by local organizations, according to the city.

Sponsors include Pasadena Parks and Recreation Foundation, Tournament of Roses, Pasadena Management Association, and Pasadena City College.

Volunteers are needed; residents can sign up at tinyurl.com/BHPVolunteers.