Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events December 1 to 7

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Dec. 1, to Friday, Dec. 7.

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

Bring the kids for Nature Tails Storybook Time featuring books about animals and nature Saturday, Dec. 1, at 10:30 a.m. in the Children's Corner inside the Eaton Canyon Nature Center. Nature Tails are scheduled every Saturday morning.

Children ages 5 to 12 will create their own snowmen during a special craft workshop Saturday, Dec. 1, at 11 a.m. at Villa-Parke Branch Library. All materials will be provided. Call (626) 744-6510 to sign your child up.

Celebrate the holiday season by making your own wreath Saturday, Dec. 1, from 11 a.m. to noon at Santa Catalina Branch Library. All materials will be provided.

Vroman's Book Store presents Winter Wonderland Saturday, Dec. 1, at 11 a.m. with special treats for children, crafts and free photos with Santa. Book purchases are not required to attend.

Holidayfest on South Lake Avenue Saturday, Dec. 1, from noon to 5 p.m. will feature Santa's Village, carolers, children's holiday crafts, roaming holiday characters in costume, a scavenger hunt and more.

Holiday activities at Mercantile Place Saturday, Dec. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. will include face painting, photos opps with some merry elves, Buster Balloon and his festive creations, and more. Activities will continue every Saturday through Dec. 15. Mercantile Place is a pedestrian walkway one block south of Colorado Boulevard between Raymond and Fair Oaks.

The Holiday Karaoke Kickoff at One Colorado is Saturday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. It will be the children's turn at 6 p.m., and adults will take over the mic at 7 p.m., all accompanied by a live band. The song repertoire will include holiday tunes and rock-and-roll favorites. The celebration will also include free cookies, cupcakes and hot chocolate, a family photo booth and photo opps with Santa.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946, NR) starring James Stewart and Donna Reed will be shown Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium (#91 on this map) in celebration of director Frank Capra's graduation from Caltech in 1918. There will also be a discussion about Capra's time at the institute. While the event is free, reservations are required. Parking in Caltech lots and parking structures is free on weekends.

Children will learn about Hanukkah during a special holiday storytime Sunday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. at Vroman's Book Store, then they will decorate dreidel-shaped cookies. Book purchases are not required to attend.

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to read books to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, Dec. 3, at 1 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library and 3 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library.

Infants and toddlers up to age 5 will enjoy a fun, rhythmic morning with music, dance and stories Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library.

Adults will create their own holiday cards using pastels Tuesday, Dec. 4, Wednesday, Dec. 5 and Thursday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Sunroom at Central Library. Instructor Ed Faubert will provide instructions, supplies and samples.

The Screening Mimis Film Discussion Club for adults presents I Walked with a Zombie (1943, NR) starring Frances Dee and Tom Conway Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. A nurse travels to a sugar plantation on a Caribbean island to care for a seemingly comatose woman, then decides to take her patient to a native voodoo practicioner. The Screening Mimis Film Discussion Group 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.

The first Tuesday of every month is Free Family Night at Kidspace Children's Museum. On Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. explore winter traditions and holidays from around the world. Make a dreidel, participate in Las Posadas and get ready to decorate for the holidays. Luce Puppet Company will present Wacky Winter Adventure at 6 p.m. in the Stone Hollow Amphitheater.

Bush Christmas (1947, NR) starring Chips Rafferty and John Fernside will be shown Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. On school break during the Christmas holidays, five Australian children boast about one of the father's mares to a group of (unbeknownst to them) horse thieves, then secretly set out to track down the rustlers to get the mare and her foal back, relying on Aboriginal survival skills. This film is a traditional favorite on Australian TV during the holidays. A Tom and Jerry cartoon will be shown as well.

The holiday celebration and Christmas tree lighting Thursday, Dec. 6, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library will feature musical performances and plenty of festive activities.

People of all ages are invited to decorate holiday candles Thursday, Dec. 6, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library. All materials will be provided.

The Children Act (2018, R) starring Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci will be shown Friday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. With her marriage at a breaking point, a judge must decide the case of a 17-year-old boy who refuses a life-saving blood transfusion on religious grounds. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older.

The popular, crowd-pleasing Mayor's Christmas Tree-lighting celebration at Pasadena City Hall Friday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. will feature carolers, dancers, holiday crafts for kids, refreshments and a visit from Santa. At 6 p.m. Mayor Terry Tornek will flip the switch that lights the huge Christmas tree.

The first Friday of every month is Free Admission Day at the Norton Simon Museum. On Friday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. enjoy the current exhibition In Search of New Markets: Craft Traditions in Nineteenth Century India and everything else the museum has to offer.

The Little Brazil Trio will blend their signature Brazilian jazz flavors with holiday classics Friday, Dec. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard next to Vroman's Book Store. Complimentary coffee will be served. Holiday concerts in the Playhouse District will continue Friday evenings until Dec. 21.

Photo credits: Child's Play International, Feiwel & Friends, Sleeping Bear Press, LadyOMatic, Radoze Home Designs Gallery, South Lake Business Association, Town of Newmarket, Rubrick Datos IO, AllEvents, Liberty Films, Foodista, Los Angeles Times, RKO Radio Pictures, 123RF, Vix, Mrs. C, GB Instructional Films,  Zack Stromberg, Norton Simon Museum, Little Brazil Trio.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events Nov. 24 to 30

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 24, to Friday, Nov. 30.

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

NASA's InSight, the first robotic explorer built to study the interior of Mars and take the planet's vital signs, will land on Monday, Nov. 26. Watch NASA's live coverage of the landing during a viewing party beginning at 11 a.m. in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium (#91 on this map). Touch down is expected at about noon, with the first images coming through soon after. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m., and seating will be on a first-come, first served basis, so come early! 

Shower (1999, PG-13, English subtitles) starring Cunxin Pu and Zhu Xu will be shown Monday, Nov. 26, at 12:30 p.m. in Studio on Fourth (fourth floor) at Central Library. A public bath house becomes the venue for sentimental and funny explorations of family and friendships. There will be a discussion following the film.

A bubbleologist will entertain and educate children and families by sharing the science behind bubbles during Bubblemania Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 3:30 p.m. at La Pintoresca Park, sponsored by La Pintoresca Branch Library.

Pianist Carlos Gardels will perform classical works Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

Lady on a Train (1945, NR) starring Deanna Durbin and Ralph Bellamy will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. While a train is stopped at a station, a female passenger sees a man murder a woman in a nearby building, but police think she's delusional because there is no body so she seeks the help of a popular mystery writer to work with her on solving the crime.

On Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 3:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Senior Center, MUSE/IQUE guest performing artists will explore how music, when paired with words, can evoke deep wells of memory and unite a crowd of people in a single, shared emotion. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend but you do have to be 50 or older. Participants who register in advance at the Welcome Desk and attend this event will be eligible for a limited number of free tickets for MUSE/IQUE'S Dec. 2 SINGING/STORIES concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. 

The Christmas tree lighting celebration for La Pintoresca Branch Library and La Pintoresca Park Friday, Nov. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the park will include carol-singing, holiday stories, crafts, free tamales and a visit from Santa Claus..

Sixteen members of the Pasadena Conservatory of Music faculty will perform in concert Friday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the conservatory's Barrett Hall. 

The Christmas tree lighting celebration in the courtyard at the Pasadena Playhouse will kick off the holiday season in the Playhouse District Friday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. with hot chocolate and coffee courtesy of Zona Rosa Caffe, live music, a performance by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and more.

SAVE THE DATE!

Holidayfest on South Lake Avenue Saturday, Dec. 1, from noon to 5 p.m. will feature Santa's Village, carolers, children's holiday crafts, roaming holiday characters in costume, a scavenger hunt and more.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946, NR) starring James Stewart and Donna Reed will be shown Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium (#91 on this map) in celebration of director Frank Capra's graduation from Caltech in 1918. There will also be a discussion about Capra's time at the institute. While the event is free, reservations are required. Parking in Caltech lots and parking structures is free on weekends.

JPL/NASA, Imar Film, Sportz Assassin, Carlos Gardels, Universal Pictures, MUSE/IQUE, Bill Frymire Visuals, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events Nov. 17 to 23

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 17, to Friday, Nov. 23.

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

The annual Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair will include live musical performances and plenty of fun, family-friendly activities as well as browsing and people watching Saturday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Park. Purchase of gifts is not required to attend.

The Caltech Orchestra will perform Dvořák's Cello Concerto (with guest artist John Walz, principal cellist of the LA Opera), Beethoven's Symphony No 7 and Barber's First Essay for Orchestra Saturday, Nov. 17, at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 3:30 p.m. in Ramo Auditorium at Caltech's Baxter Hall (#77 on this map). The orchestra is made up primarily of professional-level musicians from Caltech and JPL. Parking in Caltech lots and parking structures is free on weekends.

Before recorded music was possible, the art of four hands making music at one piano was common in households. Third@First presents Four Hands and Four Singers Saturday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. The program will include Brahms's Neue Liebeslieder Waltzer Op. 65, Beethoven's Variations on a Theme of Waldstein, Schubert's Rondo and more, featuring pianists Paul Floyd and Junko Ueno Garrett plus soloist singers.

The 2018 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade -- the twisted sister of that other parade -- will include a memorable cast of merrymakers Sunday, Nov. 18, beginning at 11 a.m. on Colorado Boulevard between Altadena Drive and San Gabriel Boulevard. Bring a lawn chair and plan on arriving no later than about 10 a.m. to claim your spot on the sidewalk. 

The Crown City Symphony will perform the overture to Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mozart's Concerto in C for Flute, Harp and Orchestra and Smetana's Die Moldau, one of his six Má Vlast symphonic poems, Sunday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Pasadena.

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to make Thanksgiving crafts, check out books about Thanksgiving and enjoy special refreshments Wednesday, Nov. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Villa-Parke Branch Library.

Photo credits: Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair, Awestruck Wanderer, Gramophone, Philadelphia Music Alliance, Wayback Machine, Crisis Magazine, BBC, Light Bringer Project,  Biblioteque de l'Opera of Paris, Stanford University, Powerful Mothering.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 10 to 16

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 10, to Friday, Nov. 16.

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

Adaptive sports for all ages will be celebrated during the Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brookside Park. Competitions will include quad rugby, handcycling, pickle ball, tennis, beep baseball, boccia ball and more. Equipment will be provided, and coaches and instructors will be on hand to teach participants how to play the games. Register here. Spectators of all abilities are welcome to this first-ever event.

The Caltech-Occidental Wind Orchestra will perform a program titled Brass and Bernstein at 100 Saturday, Nov 10, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 11, at 3:30 p.m. at Ramo Auditorium in Caltech's Baxter Hall (#77 on this map). Works will include Dukas's Fanfare to La Peri, Leonard Bernstein's A Musical Toast, Bernstein's A Simple Song, Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and brass showcase selections for horn, trumpet and tuba with Euphonium Choirs. Parking in Caltech lots and parking structures is free on weekends.

The annual Veterans Day commemoration at Centennial Square in front of Pasadena City Hall Sunday, Nov. 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m., will include patriotic music, Blair High School JROTC presenting the colors, a flyover of vintage of World War II planes, special guest speakers and more, followed by free refreshments, including hot dogs grilled by Pasadena firefighters.

Admission to the USC Pacific Asia Museum is free the second Sunday of every month. On Sunday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., explore the connections between textiles, status and ceremony through the history and culture of Korea. Learn about the king who used his status to develop the Korean alphabet; enjoy artmaking activities, storytime for children and docent tours of the museum's galleries. (There will be a $10 fee if you want to attend a related live performance.)

Irish poet and author Eavan Boland will speak about her career and read from some of her works Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the lounge at Caltech's Dabney Hall (#40 on this map). Boland, director of the creative writing program at Stanford University, is a 2016 inductee to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the recipient of the Lannan Foundation Award in Poetry and the PEN Award for creative nonfiction. Parking in Caltech lots and parking structures is free after 5 p.m.

Baritone Cale Olson will perform Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

The Pride of Jesse Hallam (191, NR) starring starring Johnny Cash and Brenda Vaccaro will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library in commemoration of National Family Literacy Month. When his daughter needs life-saving surgery, an illiterate coal miner in rural Kentucky takes her to Cincinnati where he is determined to support his family in the big city. But first he must learn how to read and write.

On Golden Pond (1981, PG-13) starring Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn will be shown Friday, Nov. 16, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. On summer vacation at their cabin on a lake in New England, a cranky retired professor with memory problems and his understanding wife agree to look after the 13-year-old son of their daughter's (Jane Fonda) fiancé. See the trailer here. 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 2018 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade -- the twisted sister of that other parade -- will include a memorable cast of merrymakers Sunday, Nov. 18, beginning at 11 a.m. on Colorado Boulevard between Altadena Drive and San Gabriel Boulevard. Bring a lawn chair and plan on arriving by about 10 a.m. to claim your spot on the sidewalk.

Photo credits: Mary Free Bed, Friendship Circle, The 42, Leonard Bernstein Estate, Gator Guards, USC Pacific Asia Museum, AZ Quotes, Brock University, The Königsberg Company, IPC Films

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 3 to 9

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 3, to Friday, Nov. 9.

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

Bring the kids for Nature Tails Storybook Time featuring books about animals and nature Saturday, Nov. 3, at 10:30 a.m. in the Children's Corner inside the Eaton Canyon Nature Center. Nature Tails are scheduled every Saturday morning.

Take a self-guided tour of Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos altars created to honor and celebrate the dearly departed Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4, at business throughout Old Pasadena during regular business hours. There also will be community altars at three open-air locations in Old Pas throughout the weekend; and live music by Marimba Tropical and calavera face painting from 1 to 4 p.m. both days at Mercantile Place.

Revisit Moons, an exhibition that ponders wonder, worlds and orbiting mysteries, Saturday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 11, in the Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design's hillside campus. Gallery hours vary. The Nov. 3 to 11 period of the exhibition is in conjunction with the AxS Festival, a celebration of arts and science in Pasadena and some adjacent communities. The exhibition continues through Dec. 16. 

Shigaraki in Shiga prefecture near Kyoto is one of Japan's oldest kiln centers and has produced stoneware ceramics since the 12th century. The opening reception for Crafted from the Earth: The Rugged Beauty of Shigaraki Ceramics is Saturday, Nov. 3, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Shumei Arts Council. Among the activities at the reception will be traditional Japanese tea ceremonies at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. that will incorporate Shigaraki tea bowls, and although there will be a $10 fee for participating in the ceremonies, you can watch them for free. The exhibition will continue through Jan. 13. This event is part of the AxS Festival, a celebration of arts and science in Pasadena and some adjacent communities.

Suite for Flute and Jazz Trio, composed by Claude Bolling, will be performed Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2:30 p.m. in the Donald R.Wright Auditorium at Central Library featuring Ruth Kaschow on flute, Tomoko Takasuki on piano, Leslie Baker on string bass and Ken Parks on drums.

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to read books to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library and 3 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library; and Thursday, Nov. 8, at 4 p.m. in the Children's Story Room at Central Library.

Constellations, a play by Nick Payne, will be read by resident actors at A Noise Within Monday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. as part of the Words Within series. While admission is free, reservations are required. This performance is in conjunction with the annual AxS Festival, a celebration of arts and science in Pasadena and some adjacent communities.

LASER (Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous) presents artist/musician Steve Roden, who will give a sound performance; artist/photographer Lia Halloran, who will discuss her astronomy series; Daniel Lewis, who will speak about the art and science of ornithology; and Caltech special collections director and archivist Peter Callopy on archival treasures at the institute Monday, Nov. 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design's hillside campus. This event is in conjunction with the annual AxS Festival, a celebration of arts and science in Pasadena and some adjacent communities.

Tuesday Musicale presents a piano trio by Haydn with Joyce Pan on violin, Judy Cain on cello and Priscella Yam on piano; Puccini and Wagner arias sung by soprano Diana Briscoe; Trio by Louise Farrenc with Emily Denney on clarinet, Susan Grether on Cello and Jamie Caridi on piano; and Concertino for Two Pianos by Shostakovich performed by Gerry Keeling and Mary Hense Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 2:30 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library.

The first Tuesday of every month is Free Family Night at Kidspace Children's Museum. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. perform amazing circus feats, design and make a game your entire family can enjoy, and much more.

Jazz guitarist Riner Scivally will perform Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

Faith of My Fathers (2005, PG-13) starring Shawn Hatosy and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. The film tells the story of John McCain, from his early childhood to his experiences as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. The movie is based on McCain's 1999 autobiography Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir.  

The community is invited to the opening reception for a watercolor and mixed media exhibition Thursday, Nov. 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Senior Center. Complimentary food and wine will be provided, and a harpist will perform. All ages are welcome; membership at the Pasadena Senior Center is not required to attend. The art works were created by Pasadena Senior Center art students with skill levels from beginner to advanced. 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018, PG-13) starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep will be shown Friday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Sophie prepares for the grand reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna on a Greek island as she learns more about her mother's life. See the trailer here. You do NOT have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

How does NASA capture the faint whispers of spacecraft voyaging to far-flung destinations across our solar system and beyond? Three experts from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will explain the Deep Space Network's giant radio antennas, global cooperation and careful planning Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in Ramo Auditorium at Caltech's Baxter Hall (#77 on this map). Parking at Caltech lots and parking structures is free after 5 p.m.

The Pasadena Community Orchestra will perform Brahms's Academic Festival Overture, Ginastera's Harp Concerto featuring soloist Alyssa Katahara and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 (New World Symphony) Friday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. at First Church of the Nazarene, 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.

SAVE THE DATES!

• Adaptive sports for all ages will be celebrated during the Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brookside Park. Competitions will include quad rugby, handcycling, pickle ball, tennis, beep baseball, boccia ball and more. Equipment will be provided, and coaches and instructors will be on hand to teach participants how to play the games. Register here. Spectators of all abilities are welcome to this first-ever event. 
• The annual Veterans Day commemoration at Centennial Square in front of Pasadena City Hall Sunday, Nov. 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m., will include patriotic music, local JROTC presenting the colors, a flyover of vintage of World War II planes, special guest speakers and more, followed by free refreshments, including hot dogs grilled by Pasadena firefighters.

Photo credits: Child's Play International, Feiwel & Friends, Sleeping Bear Press, Breck Create, What's On in Joburg, Beale Public Library, A Noise Within, Steve Roden, Jazz Guitar Lessons, A&E Television Networks, Pasadena Senior Center, Universal Pictures, Pasadena Community Orchestra