ON THE TOWN:

If an evening at the circus, a posh afternoon fashion show and a good old-fashioned community barbecue are your idea of a good time, this past weekend offered all three as Burbankers clowned around, took to the catwalk and connected with their neighbors.

William McKinley Elementary School kicked off the weekend’s activities Friday by staging its annual Spring Family Night with a circus theme. Principal and Ringmaster Bobbie Kavanaugh presided over three rings of “Big Top” fun as students and their families enjoyed an early evening of circus-inspired games, food and entertainment.

PTA President Suzanne Weerts served as the chairwoman. Others who made the evening a crowning, or rather, a clowning, success included committee members Jill Pennington, Brenda, Rob and Makenna Outwater, Rachel Levine, Taia Perry-Kretz, John Bresee, Saria Vizcara, Claudia Rosales, Josie Buchanan, Maria Paraszkay, Lucy Castro, Michelle Lowder, Tod Himmel, Pam Holcomb, Mary and Michael Richardson, Jamie Thomas, Dana Maginnis, Vanessa Thiemann, Stephanie McCorkle, Gabriella Smallwood, Beth Roth, Jennifer Johnson, Maria Rudas, Enriqueta Morales, Marie Helene Desbiens, Claudia Dealba-Yount, Esmeralda Cruz, Diane Black, Rob Botts, and Lucy Ochoa.

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Circus silliness turned to a sophisticated show of fashion the following afternoon as the Verdugo-Glen Chapter of the American Business Women’s Assn., presented its annual fashion show and luncheon at the Castaway.

Staged in the Starlight Room as “An Affair to Remember,” Saturday’s fundraiser was hosted by the organization’s president, Maria Tapang, and renowned psychologist and author Kathie Mathis, who served as mistress of ceremonies.

The event was chaired by Andrea Manning, who was assisted by her co-chairwomen Brandi Hackitt and Red Mann and committee that included Rhea Norman-Rader, Donna Hempel, Betty Futter, Alicia Mauricio, Marty Preciado, Natalie Froidevaux, Tricia Rumery, Nancy Johnson, Lynn White-Shelby, Karen Moran, Donna Gonzalez and Elysa Rosenfeld-Ortiz.

Among those who modeled fashions provided by Annie’s Scandal and Cowgirl Princess were Ali Hempel, Elizabeth and Katrina Tapang, Marcia Mullins, Natalie and Nicole Froidevaux, Sable and Shelby Potts, Sherice Mattersteig and Wendy Huong.

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Saturday also saw the city of Burbank stage the second annual Neighborhood Family Barbecue and Safety Day at Lundigan Park.

Presented as a part of the Connect with Your Community program, this event was created to bring about opportunities and projects that strengthen and nurture healthy partnerships between residents, the city, nonprofit organizations, service clubs and local businesses.

Under the leadership of Community Resources Coordinator Gabriela Flores, the event was made possible by numerous volunteers including Patty Crouch, Iva Ortiz, Robin Hatcher, Jenn Holcombe and Mari Nie. Others included Ana Cardenas, Edison Macias, Magda Sellon, Hernando Cervantes and Martin Torres who made up the Green Dream Team who educated residents on recycling, conservation and other green practices.

DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.