Pasadena celebrates Route 66’s 100th, Central Library renovations move ahead, local musicians support Nepal flood relief, plus weekend events and live music.
Matthew Ramirez
September 11, 2026
Good afternoon, Pasadena. This is News N’ Roses. Here’s a fun fact: Route 66 once ran right through Pasadena along Foothill Boulevard, Hill Street, Colorado Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue. After the Arroyo Seco Parkway opened, the route shifted to Colorado Boulevard and Arroyo Parkway.
In this weekend’s News N’ Roses:
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Pasadena Celebrates 100 Years of Route 66
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Work Continues on Pasadena’s Central Library
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Local Musicians Come Together for Nepal Flood Relief
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Events this Weekend
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Live Music Lowdown
Let’s get to it.
—Matthew Ramirez
P.S. Happy birthday to my friend Michael aka Mr. Pasadena! 🎂
THE DIGEST
Pasadena Celebrates 100 Years of Route 66
Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, and Pasadena continues celebrating. The Mother Road runs through familiar stretches like Colorado Boulevard, Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street, and local tributes are popping up across town.
The Pasadena Museum of History has a Route 66 exhibit on display, while the Southern California Falcon Club is hosting a Route 66 Centennial Classic Car Show on Sept. 20 at the Elks Lodge. The City of South Pasadena has refreshed the Route 66 road logo on the Fair Oaks Pharmacy wall and you can find street signs on Colorado Blvd as well.
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The centennial celebrations will continue through the end of the year, along with Colorado Boulevard’s 150th anniversary. Stay tuned for more Route 66 events!
Work Continues on Pasadena’s Central Library
If you’re like me, you probably miss having Pasadena’s Central Library open. The good news: crews are making real progress on the seismic retrofit, leveling the once-uneven basement, digging new footing trenches, installing rebar and waterproofing, and getting ready for concrete pours. I attended a City Hall meeting where it was stated that the project is still targeting completion in 2028, so hopefully we’ll be borrowing books there again before too long.
Library Basement [photo by City of Pasadena]
Local Musicians Come Together for Nepal Flood Relief
A few local musicians came together for something really meaningful. My friend Chad Cannon, a Pasadena-based composer, arranger and musician who also plays violin, joined fellow Los Angeles musicians and Nepali artist Lochan Rijal for a new version of “Katha” to support Nepal flood recovery. Part of the video was filmed on the Altadena property of Joel Pargman and Carrie Kennedy, who lost their home in last year’s fire.
Show your support but watching and sharing the video…
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Friday (9/11)
🎲 Family Retro Game Night: Classic board games for ages 5 and up, part of the library's "South Pasadena: Through the Decades" series. South Pasadena Library Community Room | Friday | September 11 | 3–5PM
♟️ Chess Knights: A drop-in chess program for kids, with beginner instruction available. La Pintoresca Branch Library | Friday | September 11 | 4PM
🎭 Broadway Gamble Ramble 2026: Small groups move through the Gamble House encountering live dance, theatre, and narrative performances woven around Broadway's history. The Gamble House | Friday | September 11 | 7PM
🎭 Pericles: Shakespeare's seafaring tale of storms and shipwrecks, performed in Ellen McLaughlin's translation with movement and music. Boston Court Pasadena | Friday | September 11 | 7:30PM
🎭 August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: Gregg T. Daniel directs this 1927 Chicago recording studio drama, the seventh in A Noise Within's August Wilson American Century Cycle. A Noise Within | Friday | September 11 | 7:30PM
🥋 Caltech Tai Chi Club: A registered nurse from Huntington Health offers free hypertension and diabetes screenings, no appointment needed. Caltech's Hameetman Center 220 – Multipurpose Room | Friday | September 11 | 7PM
🎭 The Visit: Friedrich Dürrenmatt's dark comedy, directed by Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak and starring Jefferson Mays, about a wealthy woman's morally impossible offer to her desperate hometown. Pasadena Playhouse | Friday | September 11 | 8PM
🌿 Little Shop of Horrors: Altadena Music Theatre stages the doo-wop musical comedy about Seymour, a florist's assistant, and his blood-craving plant Audrey II. Mountain View Mausoleum | Friday | September 11 | 8PM
Saturday (9/12)
💪 The Courtyard Series | Fitness Sessions with BUNDA and Alo: BÜNDA Studio Manager Graciela leads a glute-focused mat workout, followed by private shopping at Alo and an Aesop pop-up. One Colorado | Saturday | September 12 | 8AM
🥦 Pasadena Farmers' Market at Victory Park: A certified market with locally-grown produce plus vendors selling jams, jellies, and fish. Victory Park | Saturday | September 12 | 8AM–12PM
🧘 Mindfulness Walk: A silent, slow-paced walk through parts of the gardens, starting at the Ancient Forest, with two 45-minute sessions available. Descanso Gardens | Saturday | September 12 | 9–9:45AM or 10–10:45AM
🛍️ 714 Market: Adios Summer Pasadena: Shop local makers and artisans offering handcrafted gifts and one-of-a-kind finds, with food from local eateries. Pasadena Commons | September 12 | 11AM–4PM
🌽 La Canada Farmers' Market: Certified, California-grown produce sold direct from local farms on Rinetti Lane. Rinetti Lane (Next to LCF Post Office) | Saturday | September 12 | 9AM–1PM
💍 Flower Rings: Drop-in craft where kids make pony bead flower rings at the library. Santa Catalina Branch Library | Saturday | September 12 | 11AM
🖨️ 3D Print a Custom Fidget Clicker!: Kids design and 3D print their own fidget clicker at the Fab Lab. Fab Lab @ Loma Alta Park | Saturday | September 12 | 11AM–12:30PM
🏈 UCLA Bruins Football vs. San Diego State Aztecs: The Bruins host San Diego State at their home stadium in Pasadena. Rose Bowl Stadium | Saturday | September 12
🗿 Tour: Sculpture from around the World: A guided tour of the museum's sculpture collection. Norton Simon Museum | Saturday | September 12 | 1PM
🍂 Family Day: Fall Harvest: Families with kids ages 4–12 explore seasonal artworks, including Georges Lacombe's Autumn: The Chestnut Gatherers, then make fall-themed art with a museum educator. Norton Simon Museum | Saturday | September 12 | 1–3PM
🎨 Nurtured Flames: Curatorial Walkthrough with Joel Garcia: Joel Garcia leads a guided walkthrough of the Nurtured Flames exhibition at the Armory. Armory Center for the Arts | Saturday | September 12 | 2–3PM
🎬 Matinees on the Mountain: Solaris (1972): Andrei Tarkovsky's 1972 Soviet sci-fi film screens at the historic Mt. Wilson Observatory. Mt. Wilson Observatory | Saturday | September 12 | 3–5:30PM
🎬 FILM | Hola Frida!: A 2024 animated film following Frida Kahlo's childhood in Coyoacán, directed by Karine Vézina and André Kadi. Sierra Madre Playhouse | Saturday | September 12 | 4PM
🏛️ AIA Pasadena & Foothill Summer Social: Architecture chapter picnic on the Gamble House lawn, with food, drinks, and tours of the house from 5–6PM. The Gamble House | Saturday | September 12 | 5–7PM
🍖 Knox Pasadena's Annual BBQ and Bluegrass Event: A cookout and bluegrass music gathering hosted by Knox Presbyterian Church. Knox Presbyterian Church | Saturday | September 12 | 5:30PM
🎵 2026 Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series: Jon B | Troop: Grammy-nominated R&B artist Jon B and Pasadena's own Troop, known for three number-one singles, perform at the Levitt Pavilion. Memorial Park | Saturday | September 12 | 6PM
🎭 William Shakespeare's As You Like It: Bardfly Theatre Company performs the outdoor comedy under the tree canopy near the Arboretum's Mediterranean Gardens, with light bites and beverages available. LA County Arboretum | Saturday | September 12 | 6–8:30PM
🌾 Harvest Moon: Art Show Reception with Tail Town Cats: A harvest-themed community art show inside the adoption lounge, with light refreshments and works for sale benefiting the resident cats. Tail Town Cat Cafe | Saturday | September 12 | 6PM
📚 Sip & Shush: A quiet, drop-in reading session where you bring your own book and a drink and read for an hour. Sierra Madre Library | Saturday | September 12 | 6:30PM
🎭 A Complete History of the American Musical in 90 Minutes or Less: Professor Barry Gordon leads a cast of nine performers through American musical theater history, from George M. Cohan to Sondheim. Parson's Nose Theater | Saturday | September 12 | 7PM
Sunday (9/13)
🏃 The Langham x PRC Pink Run 5K and Wellness Experience: Join a community run or walk followed by wellness experiences on the grounds of The Langham Huntington. The Langham Huntington | Sunday | September 13 | 7AM
🔭 Special Behind the Scenes Engineering Tour: A behind-the-scenes look at the engineering systems and infrastructure at Mt. Wilson Observatory. Mt. Wilson Observatory | Sunday | September 13 | 9AM–2:30PM
🚶 Take a Walk Through 15 Decades of Pasadena History: A Pasadena Heritage walking tour traces the neighborhood's evolution from railroads to freeways as part of Craftsman Week. 1340 Locust Street | Sunday | September 13 | 9AM, 10AM, or 11AM
🎨 Doyle Lane: Master of Clay: The Huntington opens a new exhibition dedicated to ceramic artist Doyle Lane and his work. Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art, The Huntington | Sunday | September 13
🎻 Second Sundays | Old Time Jam: PCM's World Music Department hosts a guided folk music jam session open to the public at the Webster Amphitheater. Pasadena Conservatory of Music | Sunday | September 13 | 12PM
💃 DANCE | Sandhi ft. Rukhmani Mehta: Kathak dancer Rukhmani Mehta performs with sitarist Jayanta Banerjee and tabla player Salar Nader. Sierra Madre Playhouse | Sunday | September 13 | 4PM
🎻 Restoration Concert Series: New Hollywood String Quartet: The quartet — Tereza Stanislav, Rafael Rishik, Robert Brophy, and Andrew Shulman — performs works by Schubert, Mozart, and Ravel. South Pasadena Library Community Room | Sunday | September 13 | 4PM
Upcoming Events
Upcoming events are added to the News N’ Roses events page. Check them out!
*Nothing in this section is sponsored. These are just the things you need to know. I’ll always let you know if something is sponsored!
WEATHER
Friday
90 🌡️ 68 |☀️| 💨 SW 8 mph
🌆 Air Quality Index: 51 (Moderate)
Saturday
87 🌡️ 65 |☀️| 💨 S 8 mph
Sunday
86 🌡️ 64 |☀️| 💨 S 7 mph
Temperature readings taken from the Pasadena Doppler Radar.
LIVE MUSIC
🎙️ Grace Fae and The Grandbirds: A Los Angeles vintage jazz band performing swinging songs from the 1920s through the 1940s, along with French and contemporary tunes. Edwin Mills | Friday | September 11 | 7PM
🎼 Tesserae Baroque: The Trio Sonata: Early Baroque ensemble Tesserae performs a program tracing the evolution of the trio sonata form. Sierra Madre Playhouse | Friday | September 11 | 8PM
🎸 Hot Flash Heat Wave: The San Francisco indie band brings its dynamic sound to Lodge Room. Lodge Room (Highland Park) | Friday | September 11 | 7PM
🎸 Daryl Darden: Los Angeles guitarist Daryl Darden performs jazz and blues after more than 55 years of professional experience. Edwin Mills | Saturday | September 12 | 7PM
🎷 Second Saturdays Jazz Night with Jason Luckett & Friends: Jason Luckett and collaborators perform a jazz set at a yoga studio venue. Archetype Yoga Pasadena | Saturday | September 12 | 8–10:30PM
🎻 Restoration Concert Series: New Hollywood String Quartet: The quartet — Tereza Stanislav, Rafael Rishik, Robert Brophy, and Andrew Shulman — performs works by Schubert, Mozart, and Ravel. South Pasadena Library Community Room | Sunday | September 13 | 4PM
🎷 Ken Song: Ken Song performs an evening of jazz. Edwin Mills | Sunday | September 13 | 6PM
🎸 Bratmobile: The feminist punk band brings its riot grrrl sound to Lodge Room. Lodge Room (Highland Park) | Sunday | September 13 | 7PM
🎹 Ambient Music with Tail Town Cats: Ryan Hay of Pink Sky Music performs an ambient synth set while Geeky Teas, poured by Melanie Cebula, is served among the cafe cats. Tail Town Cat Cafe | Sunday | September 13 | 7–9PM
THANKS!
Thanks for reading News N’ Roses today. If you found something useful, share it with someone who has driven across the whole Route 66!
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