Looking for Something to Do? Free Events March 17 to 23

Here are events scheduled March 17 to 23 in Pasadena.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Cleary Irish Dance will perform traditional dances followed by an interactive dance lesson during which the audience will be taught a jig or two Saturday, March 17, from 11 a.m. to noon in the courtyard at One Colorado. While this event is free, registration is required.

Children will create their own rainbow necklaces accented with sparkly shamrock amulets to show their St. Paddy's Day spirit Saturday, March 17, from noon to 5:30 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado. All materials will be provided. RSVPs are encouraged. 

The Third@First concert series presents Music of Leonard Bernstein Saturday, March 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in commemoration of his 100th birthday celebration, featuring instrumental and voice soloists and the Chancel Choir. The program will include selections from "West Side Story" and "The Chichester Psalms" plus three meditations from "Mass." 

The Girsky Quartet will host a 4 p.m. master class and perform at a 7 p.m. recital Saturday, March 17, in Barrett Hall at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. 

Dressed in kilts, Glengarry blacks and other regalia, the internationally renowned Pasadena Scots will perform on bagpipes and drums Saturday, March 17, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado. RSVPs are recommended.

The Crown City Symphony will perform Franz Schubert's "Overture to Rosamunde, D 644 (Op. 26), Ernest Chausson's "Poèmme" and César Franck's "Redemption from Morceau Symphonique FWV 52 (Op. 22) Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Pasadena.

The Pasadena Conservatory of Music's piano department will host festival recitals celebrating composers Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann and Cornelius Gurlitt Sunday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the conservatory auditorium.

Classical violist and violinist Jing Yang will perform Wednesday, March 21, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

PBS's "American Experience: Rachel Carson" (2017, TV-PG) featuring a profile of the renowned biologist and conservationist will be shown Wednesday, March 21, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Rachel Carson's award-winning 1962 book "Silent Spring" helped launch the modern environmental movement.

Sure and begorrah, you'll enjoy toe-tapping Celtic music performed by the Reel Folk Ensemble featuring Irish step dancer Patty McCollum Thursday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m. at the Santa Catalina Branch Library. 

March is One City, One Story month -- our community reading celebration! Have you read this year's selection "Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon to Mars" by Nathalia Holt yet? Here is this week's event:

• Tracy Drain (in photo above), a flight systems engineer and a key part of development and mission operations at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will speak about the trajectory that took her from very humble beginnings to her integral roles in the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission and the Juno mission to Jupiter Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Bring your daughters (and the rest of the family, or just yourself) for an inspiring discussion and Q&A.

Students in grades 6 to 12 from 150 schools will showcase their inspiring investigative skills and creativity to compete for medals, special awards and scholarships during the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair Friday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center. Chat it up with some of these students and catch some of the enthusiasm they have for their research and projects.

JPL's Cassini mission team steered the spacecraft into unexplored space during its 13-year trek until they intentionally plummeted it into Saturn, its final destination. Erick Sturm, planning lead for the Cassini mission, will present a program titled "Planning Cassini's Grand Finale: A Retrospective" Friday, March 23, at 7 p.m. in the Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College (Building UU on this map).

Photo credits: My Fresh Plans, New York Philharmonic Girsky Quartet, Pasadena Scots, Crown City Symphony, Public Broadcasting System, Reel Folk Ensemble, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Angeles Unified School District.,