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The sofas are all back in their respective living rooms after another successful WinterBlast parade.

KRCB was there to capture the creativity on display in Santa Rosa…

(Marimba Music)

That’s the Luther Burbank Elementary School 5th grade Marimba Band, entertaining the crowd at the annual WinterBlast Sofa Parade and Art Festival in Santa Rosa’s South of A Street Arts District.

They were one of many musical acts to take part in the bustling block party on Saturday evening.

“It was such a wonderful community event, and I just love seeing so many people bring out their creativity, their whimsy and just being together in community is so important and I really just fell in love with Santa Rosa all over again,” said Spring Maxfield, director of Santa Rosa Urban Arts Partnership, which organizes the yearly event.

Two parades, one at 5pm and one at 7pm, featured decorated sofas being pushed down South A Street. Both started with an appearance by Saint Nick and the Hub Bub Club, an irreverent marching band decked out in red, white and black.

Entries included a tiny love seat decorated with a Space Cat, and a glimmering sea of glowing jellyfish made from clear umbrellas. A crowd favorite was a school of salmon puppets that swam through the parade route in the opposite direction

Another popular entry is an upholstered couch dotted with dozens of Helen Ropers in curly orange wigs and caftans from the sitcom Three’s Company. Beth Craven from Rohnert Park is the head Helen.

“Roper Romp started in New Orleans um maybe 10 years ago. And they're happening all over the country. People are doing them. Some some towns have like 200 to 400 people. The best we've ever done is like 15 to 20. And everybody's welcome and we have a Facebook page, but our float is just I mean, who doesn't love a vivacious middle-aged woman? Right?” said Craven.

Maxfield says despite support from various organizations and private donors, funding WinterBlast is a challenge.

“This event is incredibly expensive to do, especially the bigger we get and we are always scrambling to make ends meet. We really do want to pay our artists to participate, but we are always struggling for sure," said Maxfield.

"Is there any danger that you will not have enough funds to continue to do WinterBlast?" asked KRCB News.

"Every year, that is a ready and present danger, and we spend the entire year trying to figure out ways to create some income besides what we get from the vendors and our beer and wine sales. But as we grow, so do our costs,” said Maxfield.

Learn more at WinterBlastSantaRosa.com