What To Do This Weekend: September 4-6, 2026

Altadena Musical Theatre’s “Little Shop of Horrors” opens with Big Plant attitude this weekend (Photo – altadenamusictheatre Instagram)

Broadway dancers and history take over Pasadena’s Gamble House; a man-eating, singing plant croons in Altadena; classical musicians soar above the town at Mt. Wilson; and a huge Latin salsa-funk dance party takes center stage in the VIBE series. Get out and move to the beat this weekend in the San Gabriel Valley!

By Melanie Hooks

Click on highlighted events for full information.

Lineage Dance Company meets Gamble House meets Broadway at Gamble Ramble series (Photo – Gamble House)

Friday, September 4, 2026

10:00 am – 11:00 am: Sierra Madre Senior Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class. Led by instructor Barbara Dempsey, all are welcome to learn and practice the art of hula. (@Memorial Park, Sierra Madre)

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Free Admission at the Norton Simon Museum. During these hours, all visitors receive free admission to the museum’s galleries and beautiful garden. No reservations or advance tickets are required, just stop by and explore. (@Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena)

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Kidspace Free First Fridays. Enjoy a variety of hands-on activities for small hands and minds. Once/month free day requires online reservations. (@Kidspace Children’s Museum, Pasadena)

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Thrive Food Bank Presents Free Farmer’s Market. Thrive Food Bank is a Los Angeles County food bank that provides free farmer’s markets which offer fresh locally sourced fruits and vegetables to food insecure populations. (@Igelesia  de Nazareth, Pasadena)

5:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Monrovia Friday Night Street Fair. Enjoy the pedestrianized downtown with food vendors, boutiques, craft booths, frequent live music, and more. (@500 block Myrtle Ave. between Lemon Ave. & Colorado Blvd.)

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Caltech Tai Chi Club. Learn and practice Hao-style tai chi chuan. Additional practice includes Yang-style tai chi, kung fu, and other bare-hand and weapon forms. Free, no registration required. (@Caltech Hameetman Center)

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: DBSA San Gabriel Valley Support Alliance. Fighting isolation via support groups, which can change the gene expression that triggers Bipolar Disorder and Depression. (@600 S. Lake Ave., Suite 200, Pasadena)

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Janus Film Screenings at South Pasadena Library. Monthly free screenings of films from the Janus film catalog. This month’s movie: “My Dinner with Andre” from 1981, starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory as two friends who have deep-dive conversations over a long meal, written by the two stars and directed by Louis Malle. (@South Pasadena Library, Community Room)

7:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Broadway Gamble Ramble with Lineage Dance. In this interactive experience, guests will journey through the house in small groups, encountering a curated series of live performances that weave together dance, theater, and narrative. (@Gamble House, Pasadena)

8:00 pm: Altadena Musical Theatre: “Little Shop of Horrors.” The cult classic penned by Alan Menken fills the custom, temporary outdoor space for the theater troupe, returning to fine form after last year’s fires. Pre-order dinner from Ferrazzani’s Picnic at the Show, and settle under the stars for some bloodthirsty plant music and dance. (@Mountain View Mausoleum, Altadena)

Latin funk and salsa band La Verde headlines Saturday’s Pasadena VIBE Concert (Photo – levittvibepasadenamusicseries.com)

Saturday, September 5, 2026

8:00 am – 10:00 am: Altadena Cars and Coffee. Classic car enthusiasts meet every Saturday morning from 8:00 am – 10:00 am to chat and find ways to help their Altadena neighbors recover. (@Bulgarini Gelato parking lot, Altadena)

8:00 am – 12:00 pm: Pasadena Certified Farmers Market at Victory Park. In a certified market, the farmers who grow the produce sell their fruits and vegetables directly to the public. It is where the agrarian community relates to the urban community. (@Victory Park, Pasadena)

9:00 am – 1:00 pm: San Gabriel Farmers Market. Featuring 20 or more vendors each week, the market offers an ever-changing selection of seasonal produce, artisan foods, fresh-baked breads and pastries, locally harvested honey, flowers, and handcrafted goods. (@in front of Mission Playhouse, San Gabriel)

6:00 pm: Levitt VIBE Pasadena Music Series. One of the final concerts (next week is the final show) of the free outdoor season, Latin band La Verdad brings a full complement of Latin funk and salsa musicians to rev up the large venue. Led by Gabrielito Gonzalez. (@Memorial Park, Pasadena)

8:00 pm: Altadena Musical Theatre: “Little Shop of Horrors.” The cult classic penned by Alan Menken fills the custom, temporary outdoor space for the theater troupe, returning to fine form after last year’s fires. Pre-order dinner from Ferrazzani’s Picnic at the Show, and settle under the stars for some bloodthirsty plant music and dance. (@Mountain View Mausoleum, Altadena)

Mt Wilson’s Sunday Concert in the Dome features Webern String Quartet (Photo – webernquartet.com)

8:00 am – 3:00 pm: 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. Free admission. (@East & West parking lots, Pasadena City College)

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Mt Wilson Sunday Afternoon Concert in the Dome: Webern String Quartet. Two performances are scheduled for 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, continuing a concert tradition set within one of Southern California’s most distinctive scientific landmarks. The Webern String Quartet performs Todd Mason’s String Quartet No. 5 “The Phoenix” (2025) and Beethoven’s celebrated String Quartet No. 15, Op. 132. (@Mt. Wilson Observatory, Pasadena)

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: GLOW BIG Teen & Kid Open Mic Night at Scribble CC in Highland Park. Scribble Community Center invites performers under 18 years of age, accompanied by an adult, to take the stage for a fun, musical night onstage. (@ScribbleCC,  5541 York Boulevard, Highland Park)

8:00 pm: Altadena Musical Theatre: “Little Shop of Horrors.” The cult classic penned by Alan Menken fills the custom, temporary outdoor space for the theater troupe, returning to fine form after last year’s fires. Pre-order dinner from Ferrazzani’s Picnic at the Show, and settle under the stars for some bloodthirsty plant music and dance. (@Mountain View Mausoleum, Altadena)