What To Do This Weekend: May 31-June 2

Gay Freedom Band (Photo – Boston Court Pasadena)

Kick off June with a variety of events perfect for all ages.

By Katlyn Ong

Click on highlighted event titles for more information:

Friday, May 31, 2024

Pasadena Convention Center (Photo – cityofpasadena.net)

• 10:00 am – 11:00 am: Sierra Madre: Senior Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class
  Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula (@ Memorial Park, Sierra Madre).
• 1:00 pm: Movie Matinees at Pasadena Senior Center
  Glory — Following the Battle of Antietam during the U.S. Civil War, Col. Robert Gould Shaw is offered command of the first all-African American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (@ Pasadena Senior Center, Pasadena).
• 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Altadena Neighborhood Farmers Market
  Find freshly prepared foods and hand crafted goods from over 30 vendors while delighting in live music and a community garden open house (@ Altadena Farmers Market in Loma Alta Park, Altadena).
• 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Monrovia Friday Night Street Fair
  Enjoy the charm of Old Town Monrovia (@ Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia).
• 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm: Monsterpalooza at Pasadena Convention Center
  Featuring over 450 exhibitors of the country’s best artists and creatives, see makeup demos brought to life before your very eyes, meet celebrities from your favorite films, enter the Monsterpalooza Museum with incredible monstrous displays, and sit in on panels diving deep into the behind the scenes moments of iconic movies (@ Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena).
• 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: DBSA San Gabriel Valley Support Alliance
  San Gabriel Valley Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (@ DBSA San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena).
• 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Monthly Queer Social at SGVLGBTQ Center
  Monthly Queer Social is an opportunity for folks across the San Gabriel Valley to gather and enjoy a night of music, community, and good vibes (@ SGV-LGBTQ Center, El Monte).
• 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Caltech Tai Chi Club – Fridays
  Learn and practice Hao-style tai chi chuan (@ Caltech – Hameetman Center, Pasadena).

Saturday, June 1, 2024

Teens and families enjoy a fun time at the 2022 San Gabriel Valley PRIDE Parade and Festival (Photo – Tammy Scorcia).

• 8:15 am – 1:00 pm: 4th Annual SGV Pride Parade and Festival
  The event will include live music, food, resource booths, and giveaways (@ Barnes Memorial Park, Monterey Park).
• 8:30 am – 12:30 pm: Pasadena Farmers’ Market – Saturday
  Shop for fresh, nutritious, locally-grown fruits and vegetables (@ Victory Park, Pasadena).
• 9:00 am – 1:00 pm: Food Forward’s Zest Fest
  Harvest fruit for communities experiencing food insecurity and come together for a festive celebration with games, refreshments, and activities for all ages (@ California State University Northridge, Northridge).
• 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Alhambra Library Summer Reading Kick Off
  Let’s ‘sprout’ some fun with games, live music, food trucks, face painting, and more (@ Alhambra Public Library, Alhambra).
• 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Altadena Library’s Summer Program Kickoff
  Activities will include upcycled eco crafts, airbrush face painting, jumbo games on the lawn, an animal “meet and greet” with Wild Wonders (a wild animal refuge), and coffee and plants available for purchase (@ Altadena Main Library, Altadena).
• 10:00 am – 11:00 am: Old Pasadena In-Person Walking Tour
  Trained docents will lead you through the historic neighborhood and reveal its many hidden and unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs (See event’s description for location).
• 11:00 am – 5:00 pm: ALTA Arts Open Studios
  Experience a unique opportunity to step inside the studios of talented local artists, providing an intimate glimpse into their creative processes and the spaces where inspiration comes to life (See event’s description for location).
• 11:00 am – 6:00 pm: Monsterpalooza at Pasadena Convention Center
  Featuring over 450 exhibitors of the country’s best artists and creatives, see makeup demos brought to life before your very eyes, meet celebrities from your favorite films, enter the Monsterpalooza Museum with incredible monstrous displays, and sit in on panels diving deep into the behind the scenes moments of iconic movies (@ Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena).
• 12:30 pm: Pasadena Pride Flag Raising
  Pride Month festivities kick off with the raising of the Pride flag, a symbolic gesture of support for the LGBTQ+ community (@ Pasadena City Hall, Pasadena).
• 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Monterey Park Summer Reading Kick-Off
  Celebrate the beginning of the Community Reads Summer Reading Challenge with games, bubbles, and fun (@ Barnes Memorial Park, Monterey Park).
• 2:30 pm: Sashiko Mending at Santa Catalina Branch Library
  Learn the basics of sashiko mending, a Japanese style of hand stitching (@ Santa Catalina Branch Library, Pasadena).
• 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm: 1st Annual Rosie the Riveter Celebration
  This celebration featuring live entertainment and an art gallery showcasing the history of women’s diversity honors the brave women who worked in shipyards and factories during World War II (@ The Women’s Twentieth Century Club, Los Angeles).
• 6:00 pm – 9:15 pm: Music Under the Stars – Best of Broadway with Pasadena POPS
  Sing and dance to the best of Broadway and the Great American Songbook for one night only on the steps of Pasadena City Hall (@ Pasadena City Hall, Pasadena).
• 8:00 pm – 9:45 pm: Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble
  Enjoy big-band jazz and swing hits performed by the thrilling jazz ensemble of one of the oldest LGBTQ+ bands in the world (@ Boston Court Pasadena, Pasadena).
• 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm: Movie Under the Stars at One Colorado
  Watch Crazy Rich Asians under the stars (@ One Colorado Courtyard, Pasadena).

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Jazz in the Park at Pasadena Playhouse Park (Photo – City of Pasadena)

• 8:00 am – 3:00 pm: Pasadena City College Flea Market
  The Pasadena City College Flea Market is known primarily for selling antiques and collectibles, with the products varying from high-end antiques to rummage sale-type items (@ Pasadena City College, Pasadena).
• 8:30 am – 1:15 pm: Alhambra Certified Farmers Market
  Find a wide assortment of affordably priced fruits, vegetables, honey, herbs, bread, and more (@ 2nd St. between Main and Commonwealth, Alhambra).
• 11:00 am – 5:00 pm: ALTA Arts Open Studios
  Experience a unique opportunity to step inside the studios of talented local artists, providing an intimate glimpse into their creative processes and the spaces where inspiration comes to life (See event’s description for location).
• 11:00 am – 6:00 pm: Monsterpalooza at Pasadena Convention Center
  Featuring over 450 exhibitors of the country’s best artists and creatives, see makeup demos brought to life before your very eyes, meet celebrities from your favorite films, enter the Monsterpalooza Museum with incredible monstrous displays, and sit in on panels diving deep into the behind the scenes moments of iconic movies (@ Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena).
• 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: They Move – Highland Park Walking Group
  No reservation needed, show up ready to move (@ Be Nice Have Fun, Los Angeles).
• 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Pasadena Jazz in the Park
  Enjoy smooth jazz performed by Michael Haggins (@ Playhouse Village Park, Pasadena).