Looking for Something to Do? Free Events May 10 to 16

Here are my top picks for events scheduled from Saturday, May 10, to Friday, May 16.

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

Fire Service Day is Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All Pasadena fire stations will conduct open houses, so take this opportunity to visit the one nearest your home, meet firefighters and see big, red fire trucks up close. At Fire Station 33, 515 N. Lake Ave., there will be demonstrations and activities including live vehicle burns and extinguishments, vehicle extrications, aerial ladder operations, equipment displays, free food, entertainment and more. Come out and meet the dedicated men and women of the Pasadena Fire Department!

Saturday Afternoon Poetry will host readings by Teresa Mei Chuc, Christina Foskey and Mary Torregrossa Saturday, May 10, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Santa Catalina Branch Library.

The Caltech-Occidental Concert Band and the Caltech Monday Night Jazz Band will perform in Bandorama Saturday, May 10, at 8 p.m. at Ramo Auditorium (just south of Beckman Auditorium) on the Caltech campus.

If you're confused about Eurail passes and which one, if any, might be best for your trip, your questions will be answered Monday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Distant Lands.

See "42" (2013, PG-13) starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford Wednesday, May 14, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Pasadena Central Library.

The Orion Saxophone Quartet will perform Wednesday, May 14, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon concert series.

Master gardener Yvonne Savio will discuss which edibles and ornamentals to plant for your summer enjoyment and garden beauty Wednesday, May 14, at 3 p.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library as part of the Pasadena Grows: Community Seed Library education series.

Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Police Chief Philip Sanchez and Fire Chief Calvin Wells will be among the speakers at the Police and Fire Memorial Service Thursday, May 15, at 10 a.m. in front of Pasadena City Hall. The annual event pays tribute to the brave men and women who have died in the line of duty while protecting and serving Pasadena.

Digital artist Earl Moore will help teens and adults 15 and older learn how to create and design simple computer and video game programs Thursday, May 15, at 4 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library. Call (626) 744-7268 to sign up.

You don't have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to see "The Holiday" (2006, PG-13) there Friday, May 16, at 1 p.m. starring Jude Law and Cameron Diaz.

The Pasadena Community Orchestra will perform Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5 Friday, May 16, at 8 p.m. at PazNaz.

Find your own voice as author Esther Bradley-DeTalley walks you through the process of writing during the hands-on, six-week Courage to Write workshop Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. beginning May 16 at La Pintoresca Branch Library. No prior writing experience is necessary. Reserve your spot by calling (626) 744-7268.

SAVE THE DATE!

LitFest Pasadena presents LitFest on the Prowl in the Playhouse District Saturday, May 17, from 5 to 10 p.m.

The Gamble House and Pasadena Museum of History are among the institutions that will participate in the 25th annual Museums of the Arroyo Day Sunday, May 18, from noon to 5 p.m.

Photo credits: Yours truly, IMDB, Collider, ACP Rail International, Maroon Creek Music, North Coast Gardening, City of Pasadena, The Art Career Project, Pasadena Community Orchestra, LitFest Pasadena, The Gamble House.