Kidspace Children’s Museum (Photo – Tournament of Roses)
Welcome to the first weekend of 2026! Besides getting soggy, there are plenty of fun local events to entertain body and mind, including taking in the beauty of Rose Parade floats up close, running to support neighbors, and celebrating Chicano art from the Smithsonian.
By Melanie Hooks
Click on highlighted event titles for more information.
Friday, January 2, 2026
Family Visiting FloatFest (Photo – Tournament of Roses)
7:00 am – 5:00 pm: Floatfest: A Rose Parade Festival. Enjoy the world-famous Rose Parade floats along a one-mile stretch. Tickets $26.50. (See event description for location shuttle and parking details.)
8:30 am – 10:00 am: [Cancelled] Friday Coffee Meetup (FCM) brings together Pasadena’s innovation and startup community on the first Friday of every month in the comfortable cafe environment. (@FoundrSpace, Old Town Pasadena).
10:00 – 11:00 am: Sierra Madre Senior Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class, Memorial Park. Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula. Bring a lei, flower skirt, or just your desire to dance. (@Memorial Park, Sierra Madre)
10:30 am, 12:30 pm: Holiday Rose Bowl Stadium Tour. Your tour guide will lead you through behind the scenes locations at the stadium, including the classic stadium seating and original 1922 locker room. (@Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena)
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: USC Pacific Asia Museum’s “Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry” Preview exhibition Friday – Sunday, five weeks ahead of its official opening. Features immigrant experiences via the visual language of mythology. Free. (@USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena)
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Free First Friday at Norton Simon Museum. The Museum invites everyone to enjoy Free First Fridays, held on the first Friday of every month from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. (@Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena)
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Kidspace Free First Fridays. Children & families enjoy a beautiful, 3.5-acre outdoor campus with 40+ hands-on exhibits, splashable water features, and creative play spaces to explore. (@Kidspace Children’s Museum, Pasadena)
5:00 – 9:00 pm: Monrovia Street Fair and Market takes place every Friday evening in Old Town Monrovia! (@500 Block of Myrtle Ave. between Lemon Avenue and Colorado Boulevard)
7:00 – 9:00 pm: San Gabriel Valley Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, Group support. (@600 S. Lake Ave., Suite 200 Pasadena CA 91106)
7:00 – 9:00 pm: [CANCELLED] Caltech Tai Chi Club. Free Hao-style tai chi chuan instruction, beginners welcome. Street, lot and structure parking available & free on-campus after 5:00 pm. (@Hameetman Center, Caltech, Pasadena)
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Phoenix 2025. Designed by Dave Kim, Executed by Curious Works.(Photo – USC Pacific Asia Museum)
9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Floatfest: A Rose Parade Festival. Enjoy the world-famous Rose Parade floats along a one-mile stretch. Tickets $26.50. (See event description for location shuttle and parking details.)
10:30 am, 1:30 pm, 4:30 pm showtimes: Bob Baker’s Nutcracker at Sierra Madre Playhouse A cherished yuletide tradition for Angelenos of all ages, features 100+ handcrafted puppets. (@Sierra Madre Playhouse, Sierra Madre)
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: USC Pacific Asia Museum’s “Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry” Preview exhibition Friday – Sunday, five weeks ahead of its official opening. Features immigrant experiences via the visual language of mythology. Free. (@USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena)
1:00 pm: Hong Kong Cinema Classics. Dive into Hong Kong’s golden age of action cinema, where cops and criminals clash in tales of loyalty, honor, and revenge. This program is intended for adults. All films are Rated R and are presented in Cantonese with English subtitles. (@Rosemead Library, Rosemead)
5:00 pm – 11:00 pm: [Cancelled due to weather] Christmas Tree Lane Model Railroad Society Open House Detailed railroad model includes fun surprises like Star Trek figures and the Mars Rover. Open to public, free, on Saturdays through Jan 3. (@2085 Santa Rosa Ave., Altadena)
5:30 pm – 10:00 pm: Enchanted Forest of Lights. Bring the whole family or enjoy a magical date night in Descanso Gardens’ annual, lighted garden forest. Nightly 5:30 – 10: pm, ends Sunday, January 4. (@Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge)
Sunday, January 4, 2026
(Photos – huntington.org)
8:00 am: Altadena Forever Run. A 10K, 5K, and 1K family walk dedicated to honoring survivors of the Altadena Eaton Fire. Hosted by the Altadena Sheriff’s Station. (Event begins @ Mariposa Junction, 849 E. Mariposa St., Altadena)
8:00 am – 3:00 pm: [Cancelled] Pasadena City College Flea Market. Monthly market known for its antiques and collectibles. Free admission. (@Pasadena City College, Pasadena)
8:30 am – 1:00 pm: Alhambra Certified Farmers Market Find a wide assortment of affordably priced fruits, vegetables, honey, herbs, bread & more from local growers and vendors. (@ 100 South Second Street, Alhambra)
10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Plant a Rain Garden in San Gabriel. Transform a community member’s garden into a water-saving, habitat-rich ecosystem — and learn practical skills you can use at home. (See event details for meet-up location.)
10:00 am – 5:00 pm: “Radical Histories” at The Huntington. On loan from the Smithsonian until March 2, 2026, this collection of 60 bold prints by 40+ artists and collectives chronicles over six decades of Chicano printmaking. (@The Huntington, San Marino)
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