The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is a non-profit
501(c)3 organization comprised completely of volunteers. Burbank is one of six remaining
self-built floats. Other self-built floats are Cal Poly Universities (Pomona
and San Luis Obispo),
Sierra Madre,
South
Pasadena, La Canada-Flintridge,
and Downey. Each year the
Association is responsible for constructing and decorating a float to represent
the City of Burbank in the
annual Rose Parade® held every New Year's Day
in Pasadena California.
The majority of floats in the parade are built by professional
float builders such as
Fiesta Parade Floats,
Artistic Entertainment Services and
Phoenix Decorating Company.
We are located in the
City
of Burbank
Water and Power Yard at 123 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91502. All construction
and decoration takes place at the Burbank Water and Power Yard.
The City of Burbank
has been represented in the
Rose Parade® on New Year's Day since 1914. Originally,
floats were entered on behalf of the City by the Chamber of Commerce and
the city schools. It wasn't until 1947 that Burbank Tournament of Roses
Association became responsible for the float entries.
Preparation for each year's float begins right after
New Year's Day. Ideas and drawings are requested from the general public
in a design contest as soon as the parade theme is announced. The Board
of Directors of the Association selects several of the designs and presents
them to the general membership for the final choice. By March final drawings
and plans are being examined by the construction and decoration committees.
Actual physical construction of the float begins in May. Decoration materials
are ordered in July and the ensuing months. Orders for live flowers are
placed with various growers in September and October. Actual decoration
of the float begins December 26 and continues until December 31. On New
Year's Eve a contingent of City of Burbank Motorcycle Police escort the
float, via surface streets, to Pasadena.
