Looking for Something to Do? Free Events June 30 to July 6

Here are free events scheduled Saturday, June 30, to Friday, July 6.

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

In 2010, when he was a U.S. Marine, Sgt. Craig Grossi rescued a stray dog on a battlefield in Afghanistan and named him Fred. When Grossi returned home to the U.S., it was Fred's turn to rescue him -- from PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Grossi wrote a popular book titled Craig & Fred: A Marine, a Stray Dog and How They Rescued Each Other. Now they travel the country together and are coming to Pasadena! Come hear their uplifting and unforgettable story Saturday, June 30, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on the fourth floor (Studio on 4th) at Central Library.

In Inukitut, one of the principal Inuit languages of Canada, the word "akunittinni" loosely translates as "between us." On Saturday, June 30, a guided walkthrough of the new exhibition Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait at 5 p.m. at Armory Center for the Arts will be followed by an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition chronicles a visual dialog, with autobiographical narratives and intimate memories, among an Inuk grandmother, mother and daughter, all three now deceased -- Pitseolak Ashoona, Napachie Pootoogook and Annie Pootoogook -- who lived in Kinngait, a remote community in the Canadian Arctic. The exhibition will continue through Sept. 23.

The Pasadena Summer Youth Chamber Orchestra will perform their annual Young Artists Concert Saturday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church featuring works by Beethoven, Bruch, Mozart, Popper, Saint-Saens and Tchaikovsky. 

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to read to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, July 2, at 1 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library. Click here for other dates, times and branches in July.

Twinkle Time will perform for young children Tuesday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Garfield Promenade on the street level at Paseo Colorado. 

The first Tuesday of every month is Free Family Night at Kidspace Children's Museum. On Tuesday, July 3, from 4 to 8 p.m. create your own nature journal, have fun with the nature photography challenge and learn about stories in the sky. Be sure to see Wildlife Learning Center's North American Animals presentation in the Stone Hollow Amphitheater at 6 p.m.

Calling all teens! Learn how to be a DJ during a four-part workshop Tuesdays, July 3, 10, 17 and 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library. The workshop will cover basic skills and techniques incuding beatmatching, mixing and scratching using Serato DJ digital software. Call (626) 744-7268 or email mracelis@cityofpasadena.net to sign up. Participants will be invited to perform Saturday, July 28, at the library's end-of-summer event. 

The Old Pasadena Summer Cinema series kicks off with There's Something About Mary (1998, R) starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller Thursday, July 5, at 8 p.m. at CTRL Collective. A man gets a chance to meet up with his dream girl from high school even though his date with her back then was a complete disaster.

The Great Debaters (2007, PG) starring Denzel Washington and Kimberly Elise will be shown Friday, July 6, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. At a small African American college in the 1930s, a professor forms a student debate team that goes on to beat Harvard University in the national debate championships. The film is based on true events. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you must be 50 or older.

The first Friday of every month is Free Admission Day at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. On Friday, July 6, from noon to 5 p.m. enjoy the exhibitions Judy Chicago's Birth Project: Born Again, Grafton Tyler Brown: Exploring California and Brody Albert: Strata plus everything else the museum has to offer. Please note the museum will close, unfortunately, after these exhibitions come to an end in October.

The first Friday of every month is Free Admission Night at the Norton Simon Museum. On Friday, July 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. enjoy the exhibitions Line & Color: The Nature of Ellsworth Kelly and In Search of New Markets: Craft Traditions in 19th Century India plus everything else the museum has to offer.

Paseo Colorado's all-summer-long Dancing Under the Stars continues with Swing Night featuring Phat Cat Swinger Friday, July 6, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Garfield Promenade on the street level. Come as early as 7 p.m. for a swing dance lesson from the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association, then enjoy the live music -- whether you decide to kick up your heels or not!

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema presents Departures (2008, PG-13) starring Masahiro Motoki and Ryōko Hirosue Friday, July 6, at 8 p.m. at Distant Lands. To provide for his family, an out-of-work cellist answers a classified ad for a company called Departures, assuming he will work for a travel agency, then discovers he will be preparing the bodies of recently deceased persons for their trip to the afterlife. He soon gains a new appreciation for life. Japanese with English subtitles.

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema presents Sunset Boulevard (1950, NR) starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson Friday, July 6, at 8:30 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado. An aging, delusional former star of silent films hires a young screenwriter to write what she believes will be her comeback.

SAVE THE DATE!

Centennial Square in front of Pasadena City Hall will be transformed to an outdoor concert space Saturday, July 7, at 8 p.m. for Music Under the Stars, the annual gift to the community from the Pasadena Symphony and Pops. 

Photo credits: The Washington Post, Dorset Fine Arts, Pasadena Summer Youth Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Times, Twinkle Time, Kidspace Children's Museum, Joninh, Twentieth Century Fox, Harpo Films, Pasadena Museum of California Art, Norton Simon Museum, Phat Cat Swinger, Amuse Soft Entertainment, Paramount Pictures

Looking for Something to Do? Free Events June 23 to 29

Here are events scheduled Saturday, June 23, to Friday, June 29.

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

Sing along as the Women on the Move Trio performs traditional and contemporary folk songs for all ages Saturday, June 23, at 11 a.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Bring friends and family for this fun event!

Teens are invited to a special screening of the science fiction classic Destination Moon (1950, NR) starring John Archer and Warner Anderson Saturday, June 23, at 2 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. When four astronauts get to the moon, they realize their spaceship is too heavy to lift off the surface. (See the trailer here.) Warren James of Hour 25 will share the film's history. The screening is in conjunction with the Pasadena Museum of History's Dreaming the Universe exhibition. 

LitFest Pasadena's annual Celebration of Diverse Literary Culture will celebrate Harriet Tubman Press, the only African American publishing imprint at a U.S. university (Loyola Marymount), Sunday, June 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Harriet Tubman Press publishes academic works and literature, sharing stories from African American communities and increasing publishing opportunities for African American writers and scholars. Come learn more about it!

Children and their families will enjoy Animal Magic with John Abrams, a blend of magic, comedy, music and animals Monday, June 25, from 4 to 5 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library.

The Bob Baker Marionettes will entertain young children Tuesday, June 26, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Garfield Promenade outside on the street level at Paseo Colorado.

"Decoding Annie Parker" (2013, R) starring Samantha Morton and Helen Hunt will be shown Wednesday, June 27, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. The film is about two extraordinary women, one a survivor of three different forms of cancer who wonders why there is not a cure and the other a brilliant research geneticist trying desperately to find a cure. The film is based on true events. (See the trailer here.)

Jazz vocalist VR Smith and a combo will perform Wednesday, June 27, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

In celebration of Olympic Day (June 23), Pasadena's own John Naber will moderate a panel of other Olympic champions Wednesday, June 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Southern California Public Radio's Crawford Family Forum. While the event is free, reservations are required.

Guest artists from MUSE/IQUE will explore the music of Leonard Bernstein and his enormous impact on the American sound Friday, June 29, at 3:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Senior Center. Register at the center's Welcome Desk or by calling (626) 795-4331. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older. A limited number of complimentary tickets will be available to the LIMITLESS/LENNY concert led by MUSE/IQUE musical director Rachael Worby Saturday, June 30, at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. 

Paseo Colorado's all-summer-long Dancing Under the Stars continues with Classic Rock Night featuring Hollywood and Vinyl Friday, June 29, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Garfield Promenade outdoors on the street level at Paseo Colorado. Come as early as 7 p.m. for a swing dance lesson from the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association, then enjoy the live music -- whether you decide to kick up your heels or not!

Photo credits: Women on the Move Trio, George Pal Productions, Harriet Tubman Press, Burbank Mom, Bob Baker Marionettes, Decoding Annie Parker, John Gross Music, John Naber, Olympic Games, New York Philharmonic, Paseo Colorado.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Events June 16 to 22

Here are events scheduled Saturday, June 16, to Friday, June 22.

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

The Juneteenth Festival at Jackie Robinson Center Saturday, June 16, from noon to 4 p.m. will include live entertainment and plenty of family-friendly activities. 

Have you ever wondered why cats purr or why they always land on their feet when they fall? An educator from the Pasadena Humane Society will explain the science behind feline behavior Saturday, June 16, from 3 to 4 p.m. at Linda Vista Branch Library.

Operatic tenor Todd Wilander will perform classical works Saturday, June 16, at 4 p.m. for the Third@First recital series at First United Methodist Church.

Members of the L.A. Opera Orchestra, L.A. Opera Chorus soprano Rebecca Tomlinson and Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Milena Gligic on piano, under the leadership of conductor Miah Im, head of the L.A. Opera music staff, will perform Saturday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Works will include Schubert's Shepherd on the Rock for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano; Reinecke's Trio for Oboe, Horn and Piano; Arensky's Quartet for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass; Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music; and Kurt Weill's Frauentanz. While the concert is free, reservations are required. [call about lack of link!]

KCRW Radio's Summer Nights series continues with a live concert featuring Shea Baba Saturday, June 16, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado. KCRW DJ Chris Douridas will open and close the evening with sets of some of his favorite tracks.

The Pasadena Chalk Festival is Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Paseo Colorado. Drop by both days to see all the works in progress, meet the artists and ask them about their techniques and inspirations for their works, vote for your favorites, enjoy live music, take the kids to Children's Chalkland to create their own masterpieces, and much more. 

In conjunction with the Pasadena Chalk Festival, the Pasadena Police Father's Day Car Show Sunday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Green Street between Paseo Colorado and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium will feature dozens of classic vehicles, live music, a chance to win a fly-along in a police helicopter, and much more. 

Rhythm Child will perform for young children Tuesday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to noon outdoors in the Garfield Promenade on the street level at Paseo Colorado.

Summer Chess Club begins Wednesday, June 20, from 10 to 11 a.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library for anyone ages 9 and older, including adults. Come learn the game if you've never played before; if you already know chess, join an open-play session. Summer Chess Club continues every Friday (except July 4). Everything will be provided for your summer chess fun.

Bass/baritone Scott Graff, accompanied by John Rusnak on piano, will perform classical works Wednesday, June 20, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

"Still Alice" (2014, PG-13) starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin will be shown Wednesday, June 20, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Happily married with three children, Alice is a renowned linguistics professor who begins to forget words, then receives the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease and tries to stay connected to who she once was as her family bonds are thoroughly tested. Moore won an Academy Award for best actress.

Twelve-year-old poet and author Cassidy Kao will lead a poetry workshop for children ages 5 to 12 Thursday, June 21, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library. Call (626) 744-7262 to sign your child up.

"The Awful Truth" (1937, NR) starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunn will be shown Friday, June 22, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Unfounded suspicions lead a married couple to begin divorce proceedings, at which point they start undermining each other's attempts to find new romances. The film won an Academy Award for best director. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you must be 50 or older.

Teens up to age 18 are invited to play board games, Nintendo Switch games and Xbox games Friday, June 22, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the fourth floor at Central Library. 

Paseo Colorado's all-summer-long Dancing Under the Stars kicks off with the Tom Nolan Band for Motown Night Friday, June 22, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Garfield Promenade (street level). Come as early as 7 p.m. for a swing dance lesson from the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association, then enjoy the live music -- whether you decide to kick up your heels or not!

Photo credits: Yes! Weekly, Purina, Todd Wilander, Architectural Resources Group, One Colorado, Light Bringer Project, Marley's Ghost, Rhythm Child,  Niceville.com, Lutzus-Brown, Pasadena Public Library, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment,  Marion Public Library, Paseo Colorado.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Events June 9 to 15

Here are events scheduled Saturday, June 9, to Friday, June 15.

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

Former NFL players Marcus Robertson and Chad Brown, who are John Muir High School alumni, will lead the annual Youth Football Clinic Saturday, June 9, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Rose Bowl Stadium for children ages 6 to 13 with drills, obstacle course, skill lessons and challenges matches. Lunch will be provided for all participants. Be sure to make reservations for your children right now! The clinic is open only to the first 300 who register. While the football clinic is happening, anyone older than 14 can attend a yoga class from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and 10:40 to 11:25 a.m. Registration is at the same site as the football clinic.

This is simply a reminder for all who have reserved tickets: The annual Open House at Jet Propulsion Laboratory is Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. With the theme "Explore JPL," the event will take visitors through the wonders of space, life-size models of rovers, JPL's machine shop where unmanned spacecraft are created, the mission control center and all the current JPL missions from Aster to Voyager 2.  No reservations? Sorry, it's too late.

In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the Pasadena Playhouse will host a community celebration of arts and culture with a block party on El Molino Avenue at Colorado Boulevard Saturday, June 9, from noon to 10 p.m. The family-friendly event will feature live music, food, guided tours, kids' zone, interactive art and more. The block party will be co-hosted by the Playhouse District Association.

The summer reading program for children, teens and adults, with the theme Reading Takes You Everywhere, will kick off Saturday, June 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. with a musical journey around the world in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Theatre Americana invites you to pack your proverbial bags, suntan lotion and sunglasses as you're spirited away to the Rockies, the deep South, tropical islands and romantic cities, all featured in great novels. There also will be games and prizes for the kids. Register for Reading Takes You Everywhere here.

Admission to the USC Pacific Asia Museum is free the second Sunday of every month. On Sunday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. learn about Myanmar through music, dance, puppet performances, art activities, story time for children and more, plus enjoy the current exhibitions and everything else the museum has to offer.

Gussy up the family and head to the courtyard at One Colorado to have a free Father's Day portrait taken by a professional photographer Sunday, June 10, from noon to 2 p.m. Availability will be limited to the announced time frame, so plan on arriving early! (Just for fun, the 1896 portrait above is of my great-great grandfather Charles Russell Craig, second from right, and his family. My great-great grandmother Charlotte Reding Craig is second from left and their first-born daughter, my great-grandmother Carrie May Craig, stands at the center.)

The Amazing Dave will perform magic, juggling, balloon twisting and more for young children Tuesday, June 12, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Garfield Promenade on the street level at Paseo Colorado.

The Sam Hill Duo will perform music for flute and guitar Wednesday, June 13, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

"Evelyn" (2002, PG) starring Pierce Brosnan and Julianna Margulies will be shown Wednesday, June 13, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. A man takes on the Irish family law system and the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1950s as he struggles to be reunited with his three children who have been placed in orphanages after his wife abandons the family and he loses his job. The film is based on true events.

The next open forum of PasadenaPhotographicArts is Thursday, June 14, at 7 p.m. at Armory Center for the Arts. In a multimedia presentation titled "Things I've Learned," Aline Smithson will share insights as a fine art photographer, editor of Lenscratch and an educator. Seating is limited; registration and early arrival are recommended.

"The Post" (2017, PG) starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks will be shown Friday, June 15, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Katherine Graham, the first female publisher of The Washington Post, and the newspaper's editor, Ben Bradlee, race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. presidents. The film is based on true events. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you must be 50 or older.

"Rocket to the Moon", a play by Clifford Odets, will be read by resident actors at A Noise Within Wednesday, June 13, at 7 p.m. as part of the Words Within series. While admission is free, reservations are required.

SAVE THE DATE:

The Pasadena Chalk Festival, featuring hundreds of artists using pavement as their canvas and chalk as their medium, is Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Paseo Colorado.

In conjunction with the Pasadena Chalk Festival, the Pasadena Police Father's Day Car Show Sunday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Green Street between Marengo and Euclid avenues (on the street between Paseo Colorado and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium) will feature dozens of classic vehicles, live music and much more.

Photo credits: Tournament of Roses, eSignLive, City of Overland, Altadena Libraries, Luj Moarf, Craig Family Archives, David D., Bath Recitals, First Look International, Aline Smithson, Amblin Entertainment, A Noise Within.