Parade soars through Burbank
With aviation as its theme this year, Burbank on Parade kicked off Saturday with a flyover by five helicopters followed by other fliers, marching bands and flight-themed floats.
The rain that hit the L.A. area Friday had moved on, and the almost 100 parade entries traveled down Olive Avenue under sunny skies.
One of the most popular entries came near the end of the parade, with about 25 vintage cars from the Road Kings club.
Ashley Nesbit said the cars are always her favorite part, along with the Burbank/Burroughs Alumni Band. She was impressed with the agility of the drill team members.
“[They’re] still cheerleading with the band. It’s great,” the 19-year-old said.
Ajinkya Pawar was visiting his sister, Rupa Pawar, who lives in Burbank, and the two were enjoying the festivities.
Their parade favorites were the Southwest Airlines entry, where walkers wore body suits that created the shape of a mini-jet around them, and a visit from a costumed Bugs Bunny riding atop a fire truck from Warner Bros.
Ernie Perez watched the parade with his wife, Pamela, and their two young daughters.
“We just wanted to spend time with the kids,” he said.
It was their first Burbank on Parade, having moved to the city recently. They didn’t have far to go — they live along the parade route.
The swinging sounds of Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries playing on a small float got the crowd up and dancing, and later a large black fusion stallion that is part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show had onlookers oohing and aahing as he pranced and side-stepped along the parade route.
Marching bands from Burbank and Burroughs high schools also took part, as well as bands from local middle schools.
The aviation-themed parade also went past George Izay Park, where a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter plane called the “Spirit of Burbank” is on permanent display.
