By Justin HAGER

La Crescenta neighbors Burbank and La Cañada Flintridge kicked off the New Year by receiving top honors from the Tournament of Roses Parade judges. The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association Float won the Mayor Award for the most outstanding float from a participating city while the entry from the La Cañada Flintridge won the Crown City Innovator Award for the most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology.

The 133^rd Rose Parade took place on the morning of Jan. 1 with a parade theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. Dr. Robert B. Miller, the president of the Tournament of Roses Association, described the theme as celebrating education’s ability to open doors, open minds and change lives.

“Education paves the path to success with a world of opportunities achieved through knowledge, compassion and determination. Education is the great equalizer,” said Miller. “As a community college educator, I have seen firsthand the life-changing miracle that education provides. As students visualize their future, education becomes the bridge to accomplish their aspirations and transform lives for generations to come.”

Reflecting this theme was Burbank’s float titled “An Unlikely Tale.” It depicted a large dragon sitting and reading a book alongside a young knight and shaggy dog. The magical float was designed by Burbank resident Jonathan Friday. The Burbank Tournament of Roses Decorations Committee and a group of dedicated volunteers spent hundreds of hours constructing and decorating the float using freshly cut flowers and 1,500 pounds of split peas to create the dragon’s bright green textured skin. Excluding the canceled 2021 parade, this was the third consecutive year that Burbank’s float has won an award and was the 11^th award presented to Burbank in the last 12 years.

The theme of the La Cañada Flintridge float was “Who Says We Can’t?!” and rejected the phrase that “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It celebrated lifelong learning by instead asking the question “Who say’s we can’t?!” It depicted a group of aging dogs entering their advanced years by embracing youthful independence at a local skatepark. The skatepark was alive with motion achieved with 78 feet of track with 19 separate carriages riding on 450 skateboard wheels. The incredible float was designed by Grant Delgatty, who also drove the La Cañada Flintridge satellite float depicting yet another dog, this one riding a jet ski. Like Burbank, La Cañada Flintridge has also become a perennial award winner, securing awards in 31 of the 43 years the organization has participated in the Rose Parade.

Both the Burbank and La Cañada Flintridge associations are already accepting float design submissions for the 2023 Rose Parade. The theme for the 2023 Rose Parade has not yet been announced. Due to New Year’s Day falling on Sunday in 2023, the next Rose Parade will take place on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.