Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. to hold fundraiser, have first technical inspection
The Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. is opening its float barn to the public on Saturday to give residents a sneak peek at the community’s upcoming Rose Parade float and to help pitch in with the volunteer-run organization.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the warehouse next to Burbank Water and Power at 123 W. Olive Ave., association members will host an open house and craft fair, where people can see the current status of the float, sign up to help build it or stop by one of the vendors to buy handmade crafts, said Ginny Barnett, association president, on Monday at the float barn.
“It’s an opportunity for the community to come out and see the naked float,” Barnett said. “They can come and see what it takes, before we put all the stuff on it, to build a float. They can see the pencil rod, the steel, the shaping, and they can ask questions.”
Barnett said the association has always put on an open house and craft fair to raise funds for its efforts, but the event wasn’t held last year due to scheduling conflicts.
Aside from buying items from the vendors, Barnett said attendees can buy tickets for a gift raffle. There will be 30 baskets up for grabs, which contain goods donated by local businesses such as Warner Bros. Studios and Walt Disney Studios.
Tickets will be sold for $1 each or $5 for six tickets, Barnett said.
Before the open house and craft fair, officials from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses will stop by the warehouse early Saturday morning to make sure the float’s chassis drives correctly and to get a few preliminary measurements of the float to ensure it can make its way down Orange Grove and Colorado boulevards during the parade on New Year’s Day. They will give it a test drive along Olive Avenue, said Bob Hutt, construction chair for the Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn.
“They also want to make sure that the crew compartments are substantially completed,” Hutt said.
Barnett said the public is more than welcome to stop by during the technical inspection, which will start around 7 a.m., but she warns those looking to attend that it won’t be much of a social gathering.
“There’s a lot of Pasadena people here in their red rip-up jackets that are strictly here for a technical inspection,” Barnett said. “They’re welcome to come and see what happens. They’re welcome to walk with it down the street and back.”
anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
