Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events October 27 to November 2

Here are free events scheduled Saturday, Oct. 27, to Friday, Nov. 2.

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

The annual pumpkin decorating extravaganza for children and families is Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon in the courtyard at One Colorado.

Hocus Pocus (1993, PG) starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker will be shown Saturday, Oct. 27, at Allendale Park. A boy in Salem, Mass., awakens three witches who were executed in the 17th century. Fun family activities at 5 p.m. will be followed by the film screening beginning at dusk (about 6 p.m.). Bring a blanket to sit on and a picnic. Free popcorn will be available, and the first 150 guests will receive special cupcakes to decorate and eat. Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. 

Children ages 7 and older and their families are invited to create Halloween transformer costumes using their own cardboard boxes and their imaginations Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library. All materials except boxes will be provided.

The family-friendly Pumpkin Festival at Brookside Park directly in front of Kidspace Children's Museum is Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27 and 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Festival admission is free to enjoy live musical performances and stroll throughout the festival; $1 tickets will be available for several other attractions such as pony rides, games and food.

Twinkle Time will perform for young children Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Garfield Promenade on the street level at Paseo Colorado.

Teens are invited to make a creepy craft, munch on zombie snacks and watch the film Warm Bodies (2013, PG-13) starring Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 4 p.m. at Santa Catalina Branch Library. A zombie named R rescues a female human survivor of a zombie attack, causing him to become increasingly more human himself and setting off a chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and possibly even the entire lifeless world. See the trailer here.

Pianist Makiko Hirata will perform classical works Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

The Monster Squad (1987, PG-13) starring Andre Gower and Robby Kiger will be shown Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. A group of boys form The Monster Squad to stop five classic movie monsters from destroying their small town. See the trailer here. A Betty Boop cartoon will also be shown.

Children and families are invited to the Halloween Spooktacular Party Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library. Participate in a costume parade, enjoy tasty treats and more.

Halloween activities in the Playhouse District Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. will include crafts and storytelling in the courtyard adjacent to Vroman's Bookstore, crafts and games in the courtyard at the Pasadena Playhouse and treats at a number of retailers in the district (look for the orange balloons).

Halloween activities in the courtyard at One Colorado Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. will include photo portraits of children and families in costume and a screening of Coraline (2009, PG). Stroll from store to store for treats. 

The Music of Strangers will be shown Thursday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. in Barrett Hall at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. The documentary film shows Yo-Yo Ma's worldwide search for master musicians to form the Silk Road Ensemble, a group of music teachers, collaborators and performers. He and other musicians discuss their philosophies on music and culture. See the trailer here.

The opening reception for The Exuberant Abstractions of Vera Arutyunyan is Friday, Nov. 2, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the En Gallery at Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden. The event is free for visitors who have made reservations (all others are $10 at the gate). Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Arutyunyan emigrated to the U.S. in 1991 and is renowned for her bold, abstract oil paintings.

The Dia de los Muertos Festival Friday, Nov. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Villa-Parke Community Center will include ofrendas altars,  dance performances, children's activities, arts and crafts and much more. 

Admission to the Norton Simon Museum is free the first Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. On Friday, Nov. 2, enjoy the current exhibitions and everything else the museum has to offer.

Take a self-guided tour of Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos altars created to honor and celebrate the dearly departed Friday, Nov. 2, to Sunday, Nov. 4, at businesses throughout Old Pasadena during regular business hours. There also will be community altars at three open-air locations in Old Pas throughout the weekend; a salsa party with dance lessons and calavera face painting Friday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Big Bang Theory Way; and live music by Marimba Tropical and calavera face painting Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mercantile Place.

Photo credits: Walt Disney Pictures, Costume Works, Twinkle Time, Summit Entertainment, Makiko Hirata, Home Box Office (HBO), Playhouse District Association, Cathy Murai Photography, Tremolo Productions, Karnival Costumes, Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, Norton Simon Museum, Red Bubble

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events October 20 to 26

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Oct. 20, to Friday, Oct. 26.

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

The annual Fall Festival at Victory Park Saturday, Oct. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. will be filled with plenty of free family fun, including live entertainment, costume contest for children and families, inflatable game row, art activities, toddler corral, Kreepy Kreatures and much more. There will be nominal fees for food and certain activities, such as train rides around the park and pony rides.

The 2018 Third@First concert season kicks off with Beethoven and His Mentors Saturday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with an event that will pay homage to the musical giants on whose artistic shoulders Beethoven stood. Works will include Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, Haydn's Cello Concerto in C and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2.

Bring your dog(s) to the Growl-O-Ween costume contest and parade for canines and their human companions Sunday, Oct. 21, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at The Dog Bakery. RSVP here or call (626) 440-0443 so they can reserve a free goody bag for your pooch. 

KPCC Radio will host a community open house Sunday, Oct. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Mohn Broadcast Center and Crawford Family Forum at Southern California Public Radio. Tour the broadcast studios, take photos with your favorite KPCC hosts and reporters, meet and mingle with fellow public radio fans, connect with community partners, enter to win giveaways and much more. RSVP here.

A bubblologist will entertain and educate children ages 5 to 12 by sharing the science behind bubbles during Bubblemania Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 3:30 p.m. at La Pintoresca Park.

Violinist Philip Vaiman and guitarist Kenton Youngstrom will perform Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

Catch Me If You Can (2002, PG-13) starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks will be shown Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. An FBI agent is on the trail of a young man who committed fraud and other crimes while posing as a practicing doctor, lawyer and airline pilot. The film is based on true events.

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center, MUSE/IQUE guest artists will explore the dreams and memories of a simpler time when you had few worries, your time was nobody's but your own and your favorite songs were recorded on 45s. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you need to be 50 or older. Sign up for this event at the Welcome Desk for an opportunity to receive free ticket vouchers (while supplies last) for the Oct. 28 CAR/TUNES concert at Art Center College of Design's hillside campus. 

Staff from the Pasadena Human Services and Recreation Department will be at the grassy area next to the playground at Central Park Thursday, Oct. 25, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. with pop-up play activities for children ages 5 and younger including circle time, dances and games.

Mummies and zombies will invade La Pintoresca Branch Library! Children of all ages and their families are invited to create their own costumes for the filming of the library's fifth annual zombie movie Thursday, Oct. 25, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Materials for costumes will be provided, or you can bring your own.

Children of all ages and their families will create spooky Halloween crafts Thursday, Oct. 25, from 4 to 5 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library.

Teens who like to write are invited to Teen Writers Meetup Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the fourth floor conference room at Central Library. Meet other teens, do a few writing exercises, talk about writing, bounce ideas around and share your work. The next Teen Writers Meetup will be Thursday, Nov. 29.

Overboard (2018, PG-13) starring Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez will be shown Friday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. In this remake of the 1987 original, a rich, spoiled playboy from Mexico's wealthiest family mistreats a single mom he has hired to clean his yacht, then falls overboard, wakes up with amnesia on the Oregon coast and is unwittingly subjected to payback from the woman. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do need to be 50 or older.

Teens are invited to A Stranger Things Mystery, a dinner party and mystery event Friday, Oct. 26, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Central Library's Teen Central where they will solve a crime by prowling the book stacks, hunting for clues, unveiling the truth and possibly apprehending the culprit . Registration is required. Costumes are welcome.

Photo credits: City of Pasadena, Southern California Public Radio, Borde Hill Garden, Pastimes for a Lifetime, DreamWorks, MUSE/IQUE, Samorzady, I Heart Arts n Crafts, Pantelion Films, Colorado Springs Business Journal,  

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events October 13 to 19

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Oct. 13, to Friday, Oct. 19.

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

Take a 2.5-mile guided walking tour of some of Pasadena's public art installations, including some hidden gems you may not have noticed before, Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (meet at Pasadena City Hall). The walking tour will be conducted by Meriel Stern, a local artist and the chair of the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission, who will explain the history, artistry and meaning behind various installations.

With the theme Honoring Latinos and Latinas in Entertainment, the Latino Heritage Parade Saturday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. will begin at Los Robles Avenue and Prescott Street and end with a festival at Villa Parke Community Center that will include live entertainment, dance demonstrations, car show, children's activities, art exhibits, historical displays and much more.

Some of Southern California's best visual artists will showcase their works in a juried art festival during Pasadena ARTWalk Saturday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Playhouse District. Pasadena ARTWalk also features live entertainment, interactive art, activities for all ages and much more. 

The San Gabriel Valley Pride Festival Saturday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Central Park will feature live entertainment, photography exhibition, drag queen performances and much more.

Admission to the USC Pacific Asia Museum is free the second Sunday of every month from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 14, enjoy Weaving & Film @ PAM. Artist Yan Zhang will demonstrate Li brocade weaving (and you'll try some decorative weaving yourself); filmmaker Xiaowen Zhu will screen his short film Oriental Silk, a documentary about the history of the first silk importing company in Los Angeles; and you'll experience everything else the day has to offer.

The Second Sunday Concert in Central Library's Donald R. Wright Auditorium Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2:30 p.m. will include a piano trio by Beethoven, piano duos by Brahms and Dvorak, and Rhapsody in Blue for two pianos by Gershwin. 

An LA Opera community educator will lead guests through the enchanting opera Hansel and Gretel Monday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Based on the beloved tale by the Brothers Grimm, the opera follows a young brother and sister who get lost in the woods where they discover a full-sized gingerbread house, but soon meet the owner of the house -- a witch who plans to turn Gretel into a servant and fatten up Hansel for the oven. Last-minute ingenuity saves the day, and the plucky children emerge triumphant in the heartfelt conclusion. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older.

With plenty of props and costumes, Ruth and Emilia will perform for children Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Garfield Promenade on the street level at Paseo Colorado.

The Screening Mimis Film Discussion Club presents Once Were Warriors (1994, R) starring Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 3 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. A family in New Zealand descended from Maoris lives in a slum where the father's alcoholism has affected his relationship with his wife and scarred their teenaged children emotionally. See the trailer here. The screening Mimis Film Discussion Club features a provocative movie the first and third Tuesday of every month, preceded by a presentation about the film's hidden history and followed by a lively discussion. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older.

Clarinetist Margaret Thornhill, accompanied by pianist Twyla Meyer, will perform classical works Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. 

The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (1990, TV-PG) starring Ed Begley Jr. and Joanna Kerns will be shown Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library.  A seismologist tries to warn city leaders of the possibility that a powerful earthquake may strike Southern California. See the trailer here. The film will be shown in observance of the 2018 Great California Shakeout. 

William Shakespeare lived in a remarkable time -- a period now recognized as the first phase of the Scientific Revolution -- and yet "Shakespeare" and "science" are rarely uttered in the same breath.  During an illustrated talk titled The Science of Shakespeare: A New Look at the Playwright's Universe Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in Caltech's Baxter Hall (#77 on this map), science journalist and author Dan Falk will discuss Shakespeare's interest in the scientific discoveries of his time, with a particular focus on the changing conceptions and understanding of the cosmos. Parking is free in Caltech lots and parking structures after 5 p.m.

Vatché Mankerian, instructor of music theory, history and composition at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, will discuss composer Robert Schumann's inner circle of fellow composers, followed by performances by the Adamante Trio and pianist Leila Wu of some of the composers' works Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. in the conservatory's Barrett Hall. Stay for a wine and cheese reception with the musicians after the performances. 

De Profundis, a long letter written by British playwright Oscar Wilde to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, while Wilde was in prison for "gross indecency," will be read by resident actors at A Noise Within Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. as part of the Words Within series. While admission is free, reservations are required.

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018, PG-13) will be shown Friday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. The documentary takes an intimate look at the life, lessons and legacy of Mr. Rogers, America's favorite neighbor. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older.

SAVE THE DATE!

The annual Fall Festival at Victory Park Saturday, Oct. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. will be filled with plenty of free family fun, including live entertainment, costume contest for children and families, inflatable game row, art activities, toddler corral, Kreepy Kreatures and much more. There will be nominal fees for food and certain activities, such as train rides around the park and pony rides.

Photo credits: City of Pasadena, Playhouse District Association, Andrew Spartari, Edmodo Spotlight, USC Pacific Asia Museum,  C. Brasch, The Everett Collection, LA Opera, Ruth and Emilia, Communicado Productions, Margaret Thornhill, Von Zerneck Sertner Films, Caltech, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, A Noise Within, Tremolo Productions

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events October 6 to 12

Here are free events scheduled Saturday, Oct. 6, to Friday, Oct. 12.

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

The documentary The Most Unknown (2018, NR) will be shown Monday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. at Caltech's Beckman Auditorium (#91 on this map). Nine scientists, including one from Caltech, travel to extraordinary parts of the world in an attempt to uncover answers to some of humanity's biggest questions and push the boundaries of how science storytelling is approached. See a trailer here. The film will be followed by a Q&A with that Caltech scientist, geobiologist Victoria Orphan. Parking is free at Caltech lots and parking structures after 5 p.m.

A small shipload of biological researchers, accompanied by a few intrepid adventurers, visited the Antarctic Peninsula in March 2016 with a scientific focus on marine animals, including whales, dolphins, penguins, seals and more, and explored some of the best whale feeding grounds among Antarctica's stunning landscapes. Bernardo Alps, a field biologist who was one of the scientists on the trip, will discuss the expedition and show photographs of the wildlife and scenery Monday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Distant Lands.

The Wilder Trio will perform Andre Previn's Trio, David Anthony Jones's Galloping Goose and Las Animas and Gernot Wolfgang's Uncle Bebop Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007, PG-13) starring Emily Blunt and Jimmy Smits will be shown Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Five women and one man start a book club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to discover their own relationships with spouses and sweethearts seem like modern versions of the novels. See a trailer here.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Fiesta La Pintoresca, a fun-filled afternoon of charro rope tricks, music, stories, crafts and refreshments Thursday, Oct. 11, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library.

Children ages 9 to 12 are invited to learn how to create digital animation during a four-session workshop during which they will explore how to code with Scratch and apply those principles to making their own original animated stories. Participants must attend all four sessions, which will begin Thursday, Oct. 11, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Studio on 4th (fourth floor) at Central Library. Call (626) 744-4066, option 4 to sign up.

I Feel Pretty (2018, PG-13) starring Amy Schumer and Michelle Williams will be shown Friday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. A woman who struggles with deep feelings of insecurity believes she is a confident and fearless supermodel after waking from an accident. See a trailer here. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you must be 50 or older.

Enjoy an evening of art, music, dance, drama and more when ArtNight Pasadena returns Friday, Oct. 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. when our community's arts and cultural institutions will open their doors for free! Hop on/hop off shuttles at every venue will take you door to door, or you can drive, ride your bike or amble at your own speed. Here's the lineup of venues (websites with information about their ArtNight Pasadena offerings are linked):

* Armory Center for the Arts

* Art Center College of Design

* artWORKS Teen Center

* Boston Court
* Central Library

* City Hall

* The Gamble House

* Jackie Robinson Center

* Kidspace Children's Museum

* Light Bringer Project @ Day One

* Norton Simon Museum
* Parson's Nose Theater
* Pasadena Conservatory of Music
* Pasadena Museum of History
* Pasadena Symphony at Women's City Club
* Red Hen Press
* A Room to Create
* USC Pacific Asia Museum

SAVE THE DATE!
The Latino Heritage Parade Saturday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. will begin at Los Robles Avenue and Prescott Street and end at Villa Parke Community Center with a festival that will include art exhibits, historical displays, dance demonstrations, live entertainment, car show, children's activities and much more.



Photo credits: Science Sandbox, Polar Quest, The Wilder Trio, Mockingbird Pictures, applejacz91, Madison Children's Museum, Huayi Brothers Pictures, ArtNight Pasadena