I had a legacy birthday party, 1980s nightclub-glam theme at the Woman's Club of South Pasadena in…read moreJanuary 2026. And what a venue! It is a hidden gem in a very nice neighborhood of South Pasadena. Historic property with vaulted ceilings, amazing Spanish style wrought iron chandeliers, hardwood floors, great kitchen facility, multiple rooms in the venue to utilize -- great flow. I set up 16 60" round tables seating 8 each, using both adjacent spaces of the Main Hall and the Fireside Room, and there was plenty of corridor space and they flowed nicely as one large space (just decorated them identically). The wall of gorgeous windows also adds such beauty to the venue.
The DJ set up on the stage which added to the whole vibe beautifully. I had an 18'x18' dancefloor as I wanted a little more standing / walking room (standard size usually 20'x20') and people could hang out on the dancefloor until dancing started if they needed more space (although plenty around the tables and in the bar/buffet area).
Just a few notes you should be aware of: a) there is no onsite parking. Street parking is limited, especially on a Saturday night when most residents in the neighborhood are home. I secured a lot with the South Pasadena school district which was just one block's walking distance and actually added to the fun and anticipation of reaching the party along with other guests (cost was $1k to the South Pasadena School District for 6 hours, plus the cost of a private attendant I hired for about $600, or $100/hour). You must buy a $1 million liability policy for the school district, which costs about $200. The venue also partners with a valet parking service, but I found them to be too pricey, and they could not guaranty they could secure a lot. But that is an option if that is what you prefer ; b) The club supplies the gorgeous venue, tables and chairs, trash cans, does the table set up for you, provides a layout plan to your liking, helps with cleanup (but you must collect your owns items of course) and you must bring all else (linens, napkins, centerpieces, decorations, caterer, DJ or Band, bartender, silverware, serving plates, cups etc. which your caterer most likely will provide). This allows you to customize the party to your liking; no wedding-type decor or preset meal packages to deal with so you get exactly what your imagination, budget and creativity allow. I decided to rent some gold Chiavari chairs with black seat cushions from a party supply vendor vs use the venue supplied ones as the Chiavaris give more elbow room and went more with my theme; (c) you must hire a bartender and professional caterer for larger parties, which makes total sense. It just makes for a better party. I supplied all alcohol (a plus because venues always price up so this saved me a lot of $$), the caterer provided the professional bartenders and all mixers. I set up the bar and buffet tables in the "Dining Room" area, electric blue up-lights and some standing cocktail tables really added to the perfect nightclub mood. Purple and fuchsia lighting went in the main hall and fireside room; (d) the hourly rental rate at the Club is also charged for time needed to set up and clean up, not just the time for the actual event. Keep that in mind when calculating your budget; (e) You must provide the Club with a $1 million liability policy (protects you too! And cost is around $200 - not paid to the Club but to the insurance co. The Club recommended a great company so you don't have to go searching for it unless you want to. I checked prices against one more company and they are definitely competitive; (f) I suggest hiring a party coordinator to keep everything flowing and allow you to enjoy the event. May Cruz, who works for the Club, is also an independent coordinator and her price is super reasonable. She did a FABULOUS JOB, and I cannot reiterate that enough -- SHE WAS SUPERB! Professional, super fun, nice, on top of everything and I just sat back and enjoyed the night following her lead to get through "the program" I so carefully designed; (g) there is an upstairs area with lounge, dressing rooms and additional bathrooms which many guests enjoyed. It has a balcony that overlooks the dance floor. I kept the dressing room to myself, my husband and my sisters who helped me with set up. It is such a pretty space, and very functional with plenty of counter/vanity space and electric outlets for hair dryers and hot rollers.
Check out this venue. It is amazing and just had a huge renovation which still leaves it true to its history. My guests were all blown away! The photos are pre-party, before lights went down and all the up lighting (hired a company) could really shine and set the perfect mood. Imagine it buzzing with 130+ guests all dressed in 1980s fashion. I provided some photos. The gold curtain visible in one of the table setup pics is from the photo booth, which added so much fun!
