More than 550 graduates and family members rolled through Rossmoor as over 1,200 residents lined the streets to celebrate one of the community’s favorite traditions.
There are some traditions that happen because they’re planned.
Others happen because a community decides something matters.
The Rossmoor Graduation Parade falls squarely into the second category.
On Saturday morning, under clear blue skies and warm sunshine, Rossmoor came together once again to celebrate its graduates during the 7th Annual Rossmoor Graduation Parade. Presented by the Rossmoor Homeowners Association and supported by dozens of community partners and volunteers, the parade has become one of Rossmoor’s signature annual events.
What began seven years ago has grown into one of the community’s most anticipated traditions, bringing together graduates, families, neighbors, and friends for a morning of celebration and connection.
This year’s parade featured 131 decorated vehicles carrying 554 graduates and family members along Rossmoor’s five-mile parade route. Led by Grand Marshal Lina Lumme, Executive Director of The Youth Center, the procession celebrated the achievements of local high school graduates as they prepare to begin the next chapter of their lives.
Lumme’s enthusiasm, dedication to local youth, and long-standing commitment to the community made her a fitting choice to lead this year’s celebration.
As the parade wound through Rossmoor’s tree-lined neighborhoods, more than 1,200 spectators gathered along sidewalks, driveways, school sites, and neighborhood corners to cheer on the graduates. Families waved signs, rang cowbells, snapped photos, and offered congratulations as the procession passed by.
Throughout the community, front yards became viewing areas and driveways became gathering places. Graduation parties, family barbecues, and neighborhood celebrations were already underway as the parade rolled by. Residents waved from lawn chairs, children chased candy tossed from passing vehicles, and neighbors stopped to cheer for graduates they had watched grow up over the years.
One of the most popular sights along the route was the towering 20-foot inflatable Los Alamitos Griffin tunnel, which graduates passed through as the parade made its way through the community. The oversized Griffin quickly became a favorite backdrop for photos and added an extra dose of school spirit to the morning.
Leading the way on bicycles were community volunteers Scott Miller, Chris Hagmann, Zoe Hagmann, and Bob Bond, who helped set the pace for the five-mile route and added a distinctly Rossmoor touch to the festivities. They were joined by public safety partners from the Orange County Fire Authority, Seal Beach Police Department, and Los Alamitos Police Department, whose participation helped create a safe and festive environment for everyone involved.
Rossmoor Park once again became a gathering point for the community as hundreds watched the procession pass by before making their way to nearby Rush Park for the first Rotary Graduation Reception hosted by the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress & Seal Beach.
There, graduates reunited with classmates, posed for countless photos, and celebrated with family members before heading off to graduation ceremonies, parties, and other festivities. Rotary and Kiwanis Club volunteers served nearly 400 hot dogs as several hundred graduates and their guests enjoyed food, fellowship, and a chance to share one more memory together.
The Rotary Graduation Reception has become a natural extension of the parade and another example of the partnerships that help make Rossmoor’s community traditions possible.
Events like the Rossmoor Graduation Parade do not happen by accident.
Behind the scenes, dozens of volunteers, businesses, sponsors, and community organizations work together for months to create a memorable experience for graduates and their families.
The Rossmoor Homeowners Association extends special thanks to the event’s organizing team of Art Remnet, Jo Shade, and Marian Last, whose countless hours of planning and coordination helped bring this year’s parade to life.
A special thank you goes to Financial Partners Credit Union, the event’s presenting sponsor, and Executive Vice President Matt Herrick for supporting a celebration that continues to bring the community together.
RTI Insurance of Seal Beach once again provided the VIP convertibles that carried dignitaries and honored guests along the parade route. The RHA is especially grateful to Kori DeLeon and Darren DeLeon for coordinating the vehicles, drivers, and logistics that helped make the experience possible.
Gary and Anna Frantz generously provided and operated the parade’s sound system and community radio broadcast, helping participants and spectators stay informed throughout the morning.
The VIP area was managed by Denise Miller with support from the Los Alamitos Volunteers in Policing, while Renee Schwartz and her staging team worked alongside the Seal Beach Volunteers in Police Service to organize and safely stage more than 130 parade vehicles before the procession began.
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The Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce, led by Debra Bell, once again brought creativity and energy to the event by providing decorations and assisting graduates as they transformed their vehicles into rolling celebrations.
Additional thanks go to POP Balloon Creations for the festive balloon displays that welcomed participants and guests, and to Shawn McLean and the team at Sir Speedy Los Alamitos for printing the event’s commemorative tri-fold programs.
Together, these volunteers, sponsors, businesses, and community partners helped create a morning that celebrated not only the accomplishments of the Class of 2026, but the spirit of a community that continues to show up for its young people year after year.
Seven years ago, no one could have predicted that a one-time celebration would become an annual event embraced by an entire community.
Today, the Rossmoor Graduation Parade is no longer a response to a moment in history. It is a celebration of Rossmoor’s future.
For a few hours each spring, neighbors come together to recognize the hard work, determination, and accomplishments of the community’s young people. They cheer, wave, take photos, and remind graduates that they have a community behind them as they move forward.
Seven years in, the Rossmoor Graduation Parade has earned its place among the community’s most cherished traditions—a celebration not only of academic achievement, but of the pride, connection, and community spirit that continue to define Rossmoor, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach.
The Rossmoor Homeowners Association extends its congratulations to the Class of 2026 and wishes each graduate success, happiness, and adventure in the years ahead.
Congratulations, Class of 2026.
Oh, the places you’ll go.
