Tournament of Roses President Terry Madigan Named International Festivals & Events Association’s Volunteer of the Year

Terry Madigan, president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, was named 2026 Volunteer of the Year by the International Festivals & Events Association at an awards luncheon Monday, Oct. 5, in Tucson, Arizona.

The award recognizes a volunteer career that began in 1993 at the association that hosts Pasadena’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. It comes during his year as the Tournament’s president and chairman of the board.

The Boise, Idaho-based group, which serves festival and event professionals, presented the award during its 71st annual convention and expo. Madigan attended as its guest.

The award goes to event volunteers whose commitment, leadership and service have made a significant difference to a member festival or event and its community, according to the festivals association.

“Terry’s more than three decades of service demonstrate the extraordinary difference one dedicated volunteer can make,” David Eads, the Tournament’s chief executive officer, said in the release. Eads chaired the festivals association’s 2026 awards committee.

“His leadership is grounded in service, respect and a genuine appreciation for the people around him,” Eads said.

Madigan was appointed a Tournament chair in 2010 and a director in 2013. He has chaired the Host, Judging, Parade Operations and Special Events committees. He has also served as vice chair of Float Entries and Post Parade. The board of directors confirmed him as president and chairman on Jan. 15, 2026.

His tie to the parade predates his membership. While a student at South Pasadena High School, he twice drove the city of South Pasadena’s float, the Tournament said when it confirmed him as president. Those drives came in the 1981 and 1982 parades, the South Pasadenan reported.

Madigan announced “Welcome” as the 2027 Tournament theme on the day he was confirmed. The Tournament has described the theme as a celebration of belonging. The festivals association said it reflects an approach he has practiced throughout his years of service.

“The Rose Parade has always been about history with heart, and that heart is strongest when everyone feels invited, included and inspired,” Madigan said in a March 4, 2026, statement. The statement was released by Pride Bands Alliance, a band network invited to perform in the 2027 parade.

The festivals association also said Madigan carries in his pocket a printed list of every Tournament member’s name. It called the list a daily reminder of the volunteers who make the organization possible.

The Tournament describes itself as a volunteer organization. Its 935 members supply more than 80,000 volunteer hours, the Tournament has said.

Madigan is a sixth-generation Californian who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, according to the Tournament. He lives in South Pasadena with his husband, Kevin Sommerfield. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from the University of Southern California. He later earned a culinary diploma from the California School of Culinary Arts.

He worked in marketing and communications before becoming a personal chef, and he owns Just No Thyme, a personal chef service. He is also a board member and treasurer of the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center.

The festivals association lists 23 earlier recipients, beginning in 2001. The 2025 award went to a volunteer with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in Philadelphia.

The 138th Rose Parade and the 113th Rose Bowl Game are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 1, 2027.