Pasadena to Celebrate 125th Birthday June 11
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASADENA – CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Saturday, June 11, 2011, 12:00-7:00 pm
at Pasadena Museum of History and Avery Dennison
Free Admission & Parking
What better way to honor Pasadena’s 125th birthday than with a community-wide party spotlighting the City’s richly diverse population, organizations and talent?
On Saturday, June 11, Pasadena Museum of History, in partnership with the City of Pasadena and numerous local individuals, businesses, and community organizations, will host Pasadena’s official birthday party, a seven-hour extravaganza from 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm throughout the grounds of the Museum and adjacent Avery Dennison.
The much-anticipated Birthday Cake, created especially for the occasion by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, will make its entrance at 3:00 pm in a gala ceremony befitting such an auspicious occasion. with Mayor Bogaard and other dignitaries, emceed by Pasadena Star-News Public Editor Larry Wilson. The five-foot tall, 300 pound main cake will illustrate all 125 years of the City’s history in cake, icing, sugar, and fondant. A visual as well as culinary treat, party guests can view and photograph the cake and eat it too, thanks to the numerous extra serving cakes the chefs are preparing to serve to the public – all in the winning flavor combination: Tuxedo Cake (White Cake, Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Mousse and Fudge filling, whipped Vanilla Chantilly Cream and Chocolate Ganache).
Children’s Programs: From 12:30 to 3:00 pm The Children’s Stage will present family-oriented performances by the Pasadena Jazz Institute Superstars, We Tell Stories, Maqueos Music Band, and Flights of Fantasy Story Theater. Artist Helen Marish will offer a hands-on crafts workshop in the Museum’s Giddings Room from 12:00 to 3:00 pm and 4:00 to 5:00 pm.
Main Stage: Nonstop entertainment throughout the day will include
performances by the Pasadena City College Pep Band, Makoto Taiko Drummers, Hosharian Brothers Band, Lineage Dance, California Philharmonic Brass Quintet, Ian Whitcomb and His Bungalow Boys, Joy of Kung Fu Chinese Lion Dancers, Conjunto Hueyapan, and the redwhite + bluezz All Stars with special guest Mercedes York.
Pasadena’s Centenarians & History Stories: Meet and hear the fascinating stories of Pasadena’s “senior Seniors,” women and men 100 and above currently living in greater Pasadena. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit and chat with representatives of some of Pasadena’s longtime businesses and organizations, including Baskin Robbins, PCC, the Shakespeare Club, Mount Wilson Observatory, First A.M.E. Church, and the Gabrieleno/Tongva Council, as well as special presentations on Civil Rights in the City of Roses and Eaton’s Water.
History Lit: Enjoy a very special theatrical collaboration between PMH and Unbound Productions, responsible for the popular Wicked Lit Halloween Theatre Festival. History Lit draws its vision from literature that reflects a historical significance. Today we present The Yellow Wallpaper, by Jeff G. Rack, adapted from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s most famous work, written while she was living in Pasadena in 1890.
History on Wheels: You won’t want to miss this stunning display of antique and vintage vehicles from local collectors, including bicycles, antique cars, an historic Pasadena fire truck and the world famous Wells Fargo Stagecoach.
Food and Beverages: The Food Patio, adjacent to the Main Stage, will be open throughout the day. Enjoy affordable cuisine from Baja Ranch Supermarket, Big Mama’s Rib Shack, Lebanese Kitchen, Panda Inn, Ranchero, and Robin’s Woodfire BBQ while listening to our great performers.
The Fire Truck Grill will be serving hot dogs and The Lemonade Brigade will offer kid-friendly beverages adjacent to the Children’s Stage from 12:00 to 3:00 pm.
At the Bar Lounge point08 will be providing liquid refreshments, including two specialty cocktails created especially for this 125th birthday event by the establishment’s master mixologists: the Orange Grove, made with California oranges and lemons and vodka; and the Pasadena Rose, featuring rose essence, fresh lemon, gin and vodka.
A complete schedule of activities is available on the PMH website at www.pasadenahistory.org.
Happy Birthday Pasadena was inspired by the landmark 2009 PMH exhibition Family Stories: Sharing a Community’s Legacy to continue the Museum’s efforts to spotlight the contributions of a broader cross-section of the people in this region than is generally presented in City histories. Family Stories not only presented visual documentation of the diversity that has marked the region’s population statistics since the late 1800s, but also the important contributions of each group within the citizenry and the dynamic interaction among them. As Pasadena Museum of History’s ongoing efforts to continue searching out and celebrating grassroots history, the Pasadena Birthday Party will become an annual event each June.
