2019 Pet Parade
The Burlingame Pet Parade was started in 2004 by a group of volunteers to promote community spirit. It is entirely supported by volunteers and community donations.
Click below to learn more about past parades
More than 2,500 people turned out for the 16th annual Burlingame Pet Parade on September 28, 2019, which featured three bands, costume and float contests, and lots of smiling people accompanied by pets in hilarious costumes.
Neha Bandrapalli carried the American flag at the front of the parade, followed by tots from UMC Nursery School of Burlingame carrying colorful balloons.
The parade marshal, 13-year-old Dusty the Klepto Kitty, wore black-and-white prison stripes as he rode in a classic red Thunderbird convertible chauffeured by Don Hamblin of Burlingame Auto Body, along with his owners, Jean Chu of San Mateo. Dusty rose to national fame for his habit of pilfering at least 1,000 items from neighbors at night, including underwear, bikinis, Taco Bell wrappers, Frisbees and even shoes. He has been featured on the David Letterman Show and on “Animal Planet,” which used a night vision camera to capture him hauling his loot home.
Music was provided by the South San Francisco High School Marching Band and Color Guard, the Los Trancos Woods Community Marching Band and the San Mateo Elks Concert Band. Art Attack, the Burlingame Youth Advisory Commission, the Peninsula Health Care District Youth Advisory Group and the Burlingame Parents Club offered free animal-themed art projects for children.
Award Winners
Grand Prize: The top prize went to “Jurassic Pets,” featuring Milo, a 1-year-old Northern Blue-Tongued skink, and an array of plastic dinosaurs and vegetation on a bed of rocks. It was created by Valeria Acosta, 13, of Burlingame. Milo also won the Most Unusual Pet category.
Best Dressed Pet: Top honors in this category went to Dirt McGurt, a 5-year-old Newfoundland-poodle mix decked out as a pirate. He is owned by Kennedy and Jeff Orange of Burlingame.
Best Pet Trick: Winston, a 1-year-old Papillon mix wearing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket, won this category after sitting, lying down, jumping up, shaking hands and dancing in a circle on command. He belongs to JoAnn Dixon of Redwood City.
Most Original Float, Group or Wagon (non-school category): Pebbles, an 8-year-old Chihuahua, and owner Olivia Carvallo, 18, of Burlingame won this category with a shower theme. Both were garbed in hot pink bathrooms and shower caps. This mini-float included a shower head and blue netting representing water.
Best School Float: UMC Nursery School in Burlingame won top honors for “Out in Space,” a float dominated by a giant silver rocket ship with French bulldog Finnigan, 5, peeking out of a porthole. Other dogs in the group were Sawyer, a Jack Russell terrier mix in the role of Buzz Lightyear; Finn, a Golden retriever dressed as an astronaut; and Gizmo, a Yorkie-Pomeranian portraying an alien.
Second place went to McKinley School of Burlingame for a “Doggie Disco” float promoting the school’s Harvest Festival and Haunted Mansion on October 18-19.
Third place was awarded to Roosevelt School of Burlingame for chili-themed entry supporting the school’s Chili Cookoff on October 13. It featured a student dressed as a chili pepper doing cartwheels.
We are very grateful to this year’s parade sponsors:
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The Broadway Merchants Association
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The City of Burlingame
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The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA
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Pet Food Express
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The Daily Journal
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InSync Real Estate
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Korody Business Services
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Colorprint
Many thanks to this year’s judges:
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Jon Mays, editor of the Daily Journal
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Rick DeNike, manager of Pet Food Express store in Burlingame
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Jacob Barnes of InSync Real Estate
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Stephanie Lee, Burlingame Parks and Recreation commissioner
We’d also like to thank our Pet Parade organizers, including:
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Ayn Gilmore of AVR Realty, who was in charge of the parade
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Larkin O’Toole of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, and the dozens of PHS volunteers who helped at the parade
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Ross Bruce of the Broadway Business Improvement District
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Jeff Tateosian, official parade announcer
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Councilmember and former Mayor Ann Keighran, for helping with ribbons and prizes
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Former Burlingame Mayor Terry Nagel, who handled publicity
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Jeff Londer, who posted banners around town
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Jennifer Pfaff, for publicizing the parade with local pre-schools
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Nirmala Bandrapalli, for managing the judges
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Tom Gorrie of Boy Scout Troop 156 and the Scouts who posted American flags on Broadway
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Russ Cohen for designing the flier
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J.D. Bergesen of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Department
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Rick Horne of Burlingame Public Works
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Officer Garrett Pene of the Burlingame Police Department