Burbank’s City Council on Tuesday approved the design of the new 2023 float that will be built by the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association (BTORA) for this year’s Rose Parade.
“Adventure Awaits” will be Burbank’s entry in the 134th Tournament of Roses Parade that will be held on January 2, 2023. This year’s parade theme is “Turning the Corner”. Since New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, traditionally, the parade is held the next day. This tradition started many years ago when local church leaders complained if they held the parade on a Sunday, no one would attend church.
This year’s entry was designed by Robin Hanna from Burbank and Richard Burrow from MissionViejo. This is Hanna’s first float design win and Burrow’s third float design win. Last year, the Burbank float “An Unlikely Tale,” won the prestigious “Mayor’s Award”. Burbank is one of only six cities to still build and decorate its own float.
Besides the money that the Burbank Tournament Raises each year, the City also assists the Association with BWP donating 6,000 square foot facility at 123 W. Olive, worth an estimated $120,000 a year. According to the staff report, the BWP also contributes $54,720 annually.
BWP also pays the salaries of the two employees who drive the float as well as displaying the float in the parking lot at Olive and Glenoaks after the parade. Overall, BWP’s facility, staffing, and financial support amounts to over $190,000.
For this contribution, the float is entered in the City of Burbank’s name. The 2023 entry will mark BTORA’s 75th consecutive float entry and the City’s 90th float entry into the parade.
Preparation for each year’s float begins immediately after New Year’s Day. Once the Parade theme is announced, concepts and drawings are requested from the general public in a design contest. BTORA’s Board of Directors reviews and selects several of the submitted designs and presents them to BTORA’s general membership for final recommendation. The selected design is then presented to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses for approval, before coming to the City Council for final approval.
