Big Fights, Big Music

Good morning, Pasadena. This is News N’ Roses. You know, the Pasadena Public Library is older than the city itself. It was founded in 1882, four years before Pasadena officially incorporated in 1886.

In this weekend’s News N’ Roses:

• Just Like Heaven at Brookside

• Ten Thousand Villages Pasadena Turn 20

• Patio Book Sale – Friends of the Pasadena Public Library

• YMCA/NFL Flag Football at PCC

• Events this Weekend

• Live Music Lowdown

Let’s get to it.

—Matthew Ramirez

P.S. Happy birthday Eric Tomlinson! 🎉

A MESSAGE FROM HOVSEPYAN FAMILY OPTOMETRY

Looking for an eye doctor who treats you like more than just an appointment? At Hovsepyan Family Optometry in Pasadena, Dr. Jivan Hovsepyan and his team provide comprehensive eye care for patients of all ages, from thorough, unhurried eye exams to pediatric care, contact lens fittings, dry eye treatment, and medical eye care.

Patients consistently praise the experience, from the warm, modern office and state-of-the-art equipment to Dr. Hovsepyan’s personal approach. He takes the time to listen, explain everything clearly, and make sure patients feel comfortable throughout their visit. With a 5.0 rating on Google, the practice has quickly earned the trust of local patients and families.

Whether you need a routine exam, a new prescription, or specialized care, you’ll receive thoughtful, personalized attention every step of the way.

Call (626) 345-5279 to schedule an appointment or visit www.hovopto.com.

Receive a special News N’ Roses $25 gift card from Hovsepyan Family Optometry.

THE DIGEST

Just Like Heaven at Brookside

Just Like Heaven is back at Brookside at the Rose Bowl tomorrow, and the lineup is awesome. The Strokes headline, with LCD Soundsystem, TV Girl, Chromeo, The Rapture, Feist, Matt and Kim, Dayglow and more playing throughout the day. Gates open at noon and the festival runs until around 11PM. Also, it’s going to be hot, with temperatures expected to climb past 90 degrees. You can bring an empty reusable water bottle and fill it up at the water stations inside, so definitely take advantage of that. GA tickets are still on sale for about $239, and there’s a free shuttle from the Parsons lot in Old Pasadena, which is probably the easiest way to avoid the usual Rose Bowl parking mess.

Ten Thousand Villages Pasadena Turn 20

Ten Thousand Villages Pasadena is turning 20 this Saturday. The South Lake shop opened back in 2006 as the first Ten Thousand Villages location in California, and it’s still going two decades later. To celebrate, they’re hosting an anniversary gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sweetland Hall at All Saints Church. There’s also an online benefit auction, Fiesta de la Tierra, running through Saturday. If you’ve ever wandered in for jewelry, home decor, gifts or one of those “I definitely don’t need this, but…” purchases, this is a pretty good excuse to celebrate the shop sticking around for 20 years. Read more here.

Patio Book Sale – Friends of the Pasadena Public Library

Got room on your bookshelf? For $5, you can probably make room. The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library are holding a Patio Book Sale this Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11AM to 2PM at the Friends’ Bookstore, 1500 E. Villa Street. Fill an entire grocery bag with books for just $5, with CDs and DVDs included in the sale too. Premium items inside the store will also be 50% off. The best part: whatever you spend goes right back into Pasadena’s libraries, helping fund programs across all 10 locations. So yes, buying too many books is technically supporting the community. Click here for details.

YMCA/NFL Flag Football at PCC

Quick correction from the last newsletter: I forgot to include the registration link for the YMCA/NFL Flag Football youth event happening at PCC Stadium this Sunday, Aug. 23. You can register here, and see more details here.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Friday (8/21)

🎬 Friday Movie Matinee: The Straight Story (1999): David Lynch’s 1999 film starring Richard Farnsworth as a 73-year-old who rides a lawn mower across Iowa to visit his ill brother. Pasadena Senior Center | Friday | August 21 | 1PM

🎶 Sunset Music Series: Folklorica de Mexico: Folklorica de Mexico performs live at the Stone Hollow Amphitheater at 5:30PM and 7PM, with art activities and the museum open late. Kidspace Children’s Museum | Friday | August 21 | 5–8PM

🥊 Centennial Square Boxing Show: The 11th annual free outdoor event features Olympic-style amateur bouts with male and female boxers ages 8 and up from across Southern California. Pasadena City Hall Centennial Square | Friday | August 21 | 6–10PM

🎭 Pericles: Shakespeare’s Pericles in Ellen McLaughlin’s translation, told through movement and music. Boston Court Pasadena | Friday | August 21 | 7:30PM

👻 Brian Clune discusses & signs Legends & Lore Along Route 66: Clune discusses the human stories behind Route 66 landmarks, from Alberta Ellis’s traveler safe havens to the Santa Fe Internment Camp. Vroman’s Bookstore | Friday | August 21 | 7PM

🎬 Movies in the Park: Clueless (PG-13): The 1995 classic screens outdoors with free popcorn, photo ops, and arts and crafts on the lawn. Playhouse Village Park | Friday | August 21 | 7PM

Saturday (8/22)

🌽 Pasadena Farmers’ Market at Victory Park: A certified market selling locally-grown produce directly from farmers, plus vendors with jams, jellies, and fish. Victory Park | Saturday | August 22 | 8AM–12PM

🎭 Staging Your Grand Exit: A Day of Death, Art, and Legacy: A full-day program mixing performances, workshops, and practical resources on end-of-life planning, grief, and legacy. Lineage Performing Arts Center | Saturday | August 22 | 10AM–6PM

🚶 South Pasadena Crawl: Explore South Pas restaurants, retailers, live music & more during the Crawl Weekend. A Chamber of Commerce-organized self-guided tour of local businesses, shops, and eateries along Mission St. | Saturday | August 22 | 3-8PM

📚 Patio Book Sale: Fill a $5 grocery bag with books, CDs, and DVDs, with in-store premiums at 50% off. Jefferson Branch Library | Saturday | August 22 | 11AM–2PM

🎨 Sensory Art and Water Play: A drop-in program for kids ages 3–10 with shaving cream, paints, water beads, and tactile sand stations. Lamanda Park Branch Library | Saturday | August 22 | 11AM

🎶 Just Like Heaven 2026: Goldenvoice’s indie dance music festival returns to the Rose Bowl with The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, TV Girl, and 15+ other acts. Brookside at the Rose Bowl | Saturday | August 22 | 12–11PM

🎨 Batchelder Tile Making Workshop with Anais Franco: Artist Anais Franco leads a hands-on session in designing, carving, and glazing tiles in the style of Pasadena’s Ernest Batchelder. Armory Center for the Arts | Saturday | August 22 | 1PM

🎬 Pixar & Popcorn: A free family matinee screening of Sybil’s Magic Muffins, a Pixar film about a girl whose baked goods carry her emotions, with snacks provided. Allendale Branch Library | Saturday | August 22 | 2:30PM

📚 Octavia E. Butler Science Fiction Book Club: Discussion of Temi Oh’s Do You Dream of Terra Two?, hosted by La Pintoresca Branch Library in partnership with Octavia’s Bookshelf and The Huntington. The Huntington’s Smith Board Room | Saturday | August 22 | 3PM

🔭 Explore the Universe through Physics: A hands-on physics program for middle schoolers, led by high school physics students. Lamanda Park Branch Library | Saturday | August 22 | 3PM

📝 Saturday Afternoon Poetry: Pulitzer Prize winner Miriam Pawel discusses her history of the University of California and its founding mission as an engine of upward mobility. Vroman’s Bookstore | Saturday | August 22 | 4PM

🎭 The Magic Flute AKA “Superflute”: Pacific Opera Project performs Mozart’s Magic Flute reimagined as a 90s video game adventure, sung in English. Linda Vista Branch Library | Saturday | August 22 | 4–5PM

🔭 Talks & Telescopes: Lita Albuquerque, Artist: Artist Lita Albuquerque speaks at the observatory as part of Mt. Wilson’s recurring lecture and stargazing series. Mt. Wilson Observatory | Saturday | August 22 | 5:30PM

🐐 Goat Yoga At The Gamble House: Instructor Tina Lenert leads an all-levels yoga session on the Gamble House lawn while Hello Critter’s Nigerian Dwarf goats roam through the class. The Gamble House Lawn | Saturday | August 22 | 5PM & 6:15PM

🎵 2026 Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series: Chris Pierce: Blues and Americana artist Chris Pierce, who has opened for Neil Young, plays the Levitt Pavilion. Memorial Park | Saturday | August 22 | 6PM

🐱 Whiskers & Watercolor: Desert Landscapes: A cat-themed watercolor painting session at the cat cafe, with all art supplies provided. Tail Town Cafe | Saturday | August 22 | 6PM

🎬 Screening: The Cat and the Canary (1927): A 1927 silent horror-comedy screens while attendees bring their own crafting projects to work on. Parson’s Nose Theater | Saturday | August 22 | 7PM

🎮 New Music Game Night: Brightwork Ensemble performs game-inspired works by Cristina Lord and Isaac Schankler, with audience participation encouraged. Sierra Madre Playhouse | Saturday | August 22 | 8PM

Sunday (8/23)

🌱 Holding Space With Hands in The Soil: A free wellness pop-up organized by Hands in the Soil for Eaton Fire-affected community members, with activities centered on rest and collective healing in the garden. Arlington Garden Pasadena | Sunday | August 23 | 12PM

🚶 South Pasadena Crawl: Explore South Pas restaurants, retailers, live music & more during the Crawl Weekend. A Chamber of Commerce-organized self-guided tour of local businesses, shops, and eateries along Mission St. | Saturday | August 23 | 1-5PM

🎭 August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: A Noise Within stages Wilson’s 1927 Chicago recording studio drama, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, as part of its American Century Cycle series. [SOLD OUT but you can waitlist] A Noise Within | Sunday | August 23 | 2PM

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

93 🌡️ 70 |☀️| 💨 SW 8 mph

🌆 Air Quality Index: 60 (Moderate)

Saturday

95 🌡️ 71 ☀️| 💨 SW 7 mph

Sunday

96 🌡️ 71 |☀️| 💨 SW 8 mph

Temperature readings taken from the Pasadena Doppler Radar.

LIVE MUSIC

Friday (8/21)

🎶 Sunset Music Series: Folklorica de Mexico: Folklorica de Mexico performs live at the Stone Hollow Amphitheater at 5:30PM and 7PM, with art activities and the museum open late. Kidspace Children’s Museum | Friday | 5–8PM

🎷 Live Jazz Night at Visionarium with Chrissy Renick: Singer-songwriter Chrissy Renick performs jazz with influences from soul, modern pop, R&B and electronic music. Visionarium Live Italian | Friday | 7PM–9PM

🎷 Catalina Combo: Jazz from Paul Eckman on bass, Willie McNeil on vocals and Jeff Miley on guitar. Edwin Mills | Friday | 7PM–11PM

🎧 Matthew Dear B2B The Juan MacLean (DJ set) – In The Round: Matthew Dear and The Juan MacLean team up for a back-to-back DJ set in Highland Park. Lodge Room Highland Park | Friday | 8PM

🎶 BAILEN: Siblings Julia, Daniel and David Bailen bring their blend of indie pop, folk and rock, built around tight harmonies and family chemistry. Scribble | Friday | 8PM–11:45PM

Saturday (8/22)

🎶 Just Like Heaven 2026: Goldenvoice’s indie dance music festival returns to the Rose Bowl with The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, TV Girl, and 15+ other acts. Brookside at the Rose Bowl | Saturday | 12–11PM

🎵 2026 Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series: Chris Pierce: Blues and Americana artist Chris Pierce, who has opened for Neil Young, plays the Levitt Pavilion. Memorial Park | Saturday | 6PM

🎤 29th Annual Concert Series 2026: Stevie Nicks Illusion: A Stevie Nicks tribute band performs at Altadena Rotary’s long-running summer outdoor concert series. Loma Alta Park | August 22 | 7PM

🎶 Sylvia & The Rhythm Boys: Jazz standards from the Great American Songbook, featuring popular music from the 1920s through the 1960s. Edwin Mills | Saturday | 7PM–11PM

Sunday (8/23)

🎸 Jeff Parker ETA IVtet ‘Happy Today’ Album Release Shows In The Round: Guitarist and composer Jeff Parker celebrates the release of Happy Today with an in-the-round performance. Lodge Room Highland Park | Sunday | 7PM

THANKS!

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