BurbankNBeyond
A beautiful autumn evening, on Thursday San Fernando Boulevard hosted dozens of restaurants, local organizations, and entertainers celebrating the 8th Annual Taste of Downtown Burbank festival.
Thousands Burbank residents and guests took advantage of a perfect Burbank night to sample foods ranging from Thai, Mexican, Cajon, and Japanese, to standard American fare. Backed by the deep, inspiring blues of Barbara Morrison, and an upbeat step into musical history with Phat Cat Swinger, diners and strollers had no choice other than indulge in the spirit and community of Burbank.
The event highlighted not only the diversity and abundance of dining options in downtown Burbank, but also the community, with information booths and representatives from agencies and organizations throughout the city, including the Chamber of Commerce, Police Department, Fire Department, and even a kiosk provided by CalTrans to inform Burbank residents on major construction projects along the I-5 corridor.
However the main beneficiary of a Taste of Downtown Burbank is the YMCA. Ticket sales for the event contribute to the Burbank Community YMCA’s Financial Scholarship Program, which supports people in the community who may not otherwise be able to participate in YMCA programs.
As diners and visitors finished meals, stuffed with tacos, mini hot dogs, teriyaki steak tips and frozen yogurt, they were met by an enthusiastic group of volunteers eager to take paper plates, plastic cups, and rare food scraps, inserting the waste in recycle bins.
Half intending to collect trash, half intending to inform visitors on best-practices, the recycle bins were provided by the Burbank Recycle Center, a partner in Burbank’s Zero Waste program.
The Downtown Burbank Partnership is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation founded in 2003, representing a partnership between property owners, business owners, and the City of Burbank.
Photography By Ross A. Benson
