First time attendee to this Lunar Festival…read more Arrived 45 mins prior to the official start of the event and I was able to locate GREAT and free parking in a lot at the very front of the event. This event is very well organized, and initially, there was a sparse crowd but upon the clock striking 1000 am (officially start of the festival), it was as though hundreds of attendees fell from the sky as this festival was suddenly PACKED!! There are numerous food vendors, games, carnival-type rides, vendors selling lotions, potions, hats, toys, and other knickknacks. Everyone is having a GREAT time and the vibe here is positive and fun which makes for memorable event.

The San Gabriel festival, with its many booths, food, and drinks, is a terrific way to celebrate…read morethe Chinese Lunar New Year. Try to arrive early as parking can be difficult to find. Make sure to check out the Taiwan booth, which is giving away free Dragon or Snake merchandise.

Fun little circus show for the family. Everyone loved it!…read more We went in the summer and it was pretty toasty. The tents do not have AC! Totally worth it! Bring fans!

A very entertaining and charming circus. Acts are maybe not as polished as the big circuses used to…read morebe, but the whole show is full of heart! Be prepared for the upsell of souvenirs, food and face painting while waiting and during intermission. Tent and support vehicles were in tip top shape and shiny clean.

Been going the last 2 years and it's a great time and warm atmosphere. Delicious food and one of a…read morekind vendors. Looking forward to the next one!

Great Family Fun! Loved the different booths, food trucks, and activities for the kids, ALL while…read moreenjoying some great music.

This was the first time I have heard of this event. It was advertised as a festival that would…read moreinclude "vintage art antique". I will say there was a lot of vintage/antique items but very limited art (false advertising I felt). Mostly filled with vendors who have spaces inside of King Richard's (sponsor). For those familiar with Whittier's events it was park version of Uptown's Antique Street Faire. There was live entertainment and about 6 different food trucks. A few community organizations were present. Limited parking could be found alongside the park. They did have a free parking lot (which lacked proper signage) locate a few steps of the start/end of the festival. Although after you parked your car it was a nice steep uphill walk to get to the park, not good for elderly or those with trouble walking.

Antiques and local vendors showcasing there unique stuff. Cute festival here in the city of…read moreWhittier!

So lucky to get a free ticket for this event! I was pumped to do this 5K run/walk which actually…read moreturned out to be a 3K which was fine by me. We arrived by 0715 so it was easy to find parking. Check in went pretty smoothly. Thrilled to get the Mission 2 Mission t-shirt!! There didn't appear to be that many runners/walkers. Most were runners. Some were young kids. There were even a few moms with baby strollers. Totally enjoyed running/walking past the houses. Really loved the drummers which helped me to pick up my pace. Only one water station, but that was fine because it was a cool morning. Finished in about 50 minutes. I wasn't last so I was thrilled. Got a cool looking medal. Afterwards we looked at the few venders that were there. Got a free drink thanks to my daughter and Instagram. Great way to start my morning!

We were so excited that 626 Golden Streets was back after it closed for 2 years! (Open streets…read morereturned to the SGV on May 1, 2022) and the route was from one mission to another (San Gabriel Mission Dr. to Pasadena Mission St. or vice versa). The event started at 9a.m. and ended at 4p.m. This is my first time attending this event with my family. We got there around 10a.m. and started on Mission St in San Gabriel. (you had the option to choose between different routes for a starting point). The event was very organized and they provided free Pocari Sweat drinks when we got there. They had 3 hub locations San Gabriel, Alhambra and Pasadena as well as activity zones and places for you to stop and rest. Each activity hub offered core services, including live music, entertainment, and games​​. It was a fun experience even though we didn't complete the whole "mission" but we passed 2 hubs (San Gabriel and Alhambra). Free bike and roll valet parking (for strollers, scooters, bikes, skateboards, etc.) Water stations were provided to stop and refill. Hand-wash stations and restrooms were also available. It was great to see many people participating with their kids, friends and family by walking, biking, running, etc. The traffic was also directed well. Weather was perfect. Will definetely come back and do this with family again. P.S. I'm surprised that no one wrote reviews for 626 Golden Streets on Yelp this year.

A wonderful (free) local event held at Brookside Park this year (2026) so there's plenty of parking…read moreas well as handicapped parking spots and the park's public restrooms. Diverse "sidewalk' art all completed by chalk on the cement walking trails with the artists nearby if you want to interact. You're not bothered by anyone as you walk along (no sales or offers) so it's really an "at your own pace" activity. Great for kids too! There were food trucks on site.

We visited Saturday afternoon. It was very hot and humid too, so we decided to wait until the late…read moreafternoon. We came closer to 5:00 p.m. and it was a very good decision. The park was shaded for the most part and there was a breeze so it wasn't so bad. We were able to enjoy a lot of the chalk art and speak to some of the artists as well. We enjoyed it quite a bit. It would have been so much nicer if it was a little bit cooler. I would definitely be coming back next year.

Jazz = good. Mary b = should not drink. Apologies…read more I found a great street spot on Baldwin on a beautiful Sunday in Arcadia. Peacocks? Yes, beautiful exotic birds are walking down Baldwin Ave. eying the mall. It is not your imagination! I learned upon inquiry that these beautiful birds belong to the city and are given free reign to come and go as they please. -Neat. I enjoyed the Latin jazz that was my entrance to the park at 3 PM. The horn section had their act together and Latin percussion is... always awesome. I bought tickets (no cash taken at the booths) to spend on my lovely friends for treating me to this amazing concert. With discriminant eyes I perused the refreshments. Soul food? at a jazz fest? No brainer right? I sampled and shared barbecue rib platters with dirty rice and coleslaw. It was Kansas City style so the sauce was ridiculous good eating. I grabbed the first round of pomegranate margaritas for the girls and started the fire. A table was easy to come by so the we parked it, noshed, gossiped, giggled and listened to the aphrodisiac that live music is. The weather was perfect and the grass was the greenest right where were I was sitting. The air was electric where musicians mingled among us after an exit of stage right. Who put this lovely Riesling in my hand? Mary B! Everybody knows that you have no inhibitions to lose! Catching a buzz at a cool concert can only lead to mad trouble and will almost certainly lead to wild debauchery. This is why I love espresso! My favorite kind of jazz is dry, tricky and messy like the wind. I am immensely fond of the classic Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Cole Porter. Many of he acts commissioned by this festival, while phenomenally talented, were more of the "smooth jazz" variety made known to us by the likes of Kenny G. etc. Polished, refined and a little slick for my taste but there is something to learn and be heard at every concert and this one one was no exception. Each sound wave is one to be treated uniquely. The choir made a key change a cappella at approximately 8 PM. SWEET. *This is very tricky and requires an obscene amount of talent. the Soprano sax player's performance was perfect but he was "schooled" by the gospel singer's solo at approximately 9 PM. I danced in the aisles, sat on the steps and soaked up the energy. I may have been even flirtier that my usual flirty self. Forgive. Inspired, I hit the *record* button in my studio in the middle of the night with confidence that my skills to pay the bills were "all that". I hit playback at 6 AM this morning. It was anything but "all that"! Mary b should not be hitting the drink! Well done by all involved in organizing the seamless event at a stunning location. Mad props to all and the many hands that made it happen. Thanks for taking me with you Valerie! (OMG I love that girl!) Next year, no Riesling for Mary b so that she may take away a more inspired take ;-)

Stve W. and I attended the redwhite+bluezz Pasadena Jazz Fest on Saturday, August 28th courtesy of…read moreYelp. Getting there at 12:30 PM allowed us to gain great parking near the entrance at the steep price of $18. Later we found out you could park at Santa Anita Park for $12 and then take a free tram to the event. I had never been to the LA Arboretum before nor a jazz festival of this size outside of Orange County, so I found this event (because I generally love to go and see live music) and the location to be a treat. The Arboretum includes rolling hills, expansive lawn areas, fountains, trees, a few benches and a gang of roaming peacocks. I wasn't all that hungry so I drank lemonade, but Steven enjoyed a Greek beef gyro wrap from Neomeze and a diet coke. They were also selling assorted beer, wine and a ton of stuff I couldn't eat made with butter or milk like cobbler and garlic fries. It sounded good, but not for me. The set-up for the festival was great and it wasn't as busy as I thought it could have been. There were two stages, one main and a side stage which alternated between playing and set-up and they did a good job with the sound system. Surprisingly, the talent on the side stage was outstanding. I really enjoyed The Delgado Brothers second set which sounded a lot like Steve Windwood and G Mack & The Polyester Players which highlighted their two vocalists and three piece horn section. Right out of the gate they were getting the crowd on their feet and dancing the electric slide in front of the stage to Kool & The Gang's "Hollywood Swinging". There were also the obligatory vendors selling clothes, jewelry, things for house and home and then we found LA Weekly. They were giving away various ipod clings, summer event guides, copies of LA Weekly (of course) and these square packets of sunscreen that happened to be about the same size as condoms. While the concert was going on, I spotted a reporter for the Pasadena Star-News and he interviewed Steve and I about the festival. They only used what we said as general comments though about the high prices. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_15928601?IADID=Search-www.pasadenastarnews.com-www.pasadenastarnews.com Oi vey. If it wasn't for the ants, the weather that was too cold for me and the fact that we were told we could not go back and forth to get gear from the car, we could have stayed until the very end... We did get to see Everlast do a few songs though before I just couldn't take the cold and the dew anymore and called it a day after being there for something like 6 and a half hours. All in all, it was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon/evening.

An annual free event put up by the church, the Lights display and show is a family friendly, safe…read moreChristmas event on top of a hill where the church resides. Visitors are greeted by colorful and festive lights as soon as they approach the entrance. There's plenty of security, some armed that watch over the crowd. Staff in yellow jackets will direct visitors. Overall, it's pretty well organized and a friendly group. The main attraction is the light show that takes place every 1/2 hour. This year (2019) the story was about Jesus accompanied by music and synchronized light show. It's pretty good. Next to the light show is set up like a little village. One tent allows kids to do crafts. Others have hot cider or cocoa. Members are dressed in biblical characters and offer to tell stories of God. There's also a sign that points to the Cafe. It's essentially a carnival style trailer that sells drinks and snacks with a limited menu. This year, there are also tables set up that sold everything from cupcakes to skewers. We tried their chicken and bbq pork skewers, and they were all good at an amazing price. Sadly, I overheard someone say this is their last year. There are donation boxes placed throughout, as well as garbage bins. So be generous and responsible, make a nice donation and don't litter. There are even staff members that bring photo lights and offer to help you take family pictures. The Lights on Miracle Hill is a great way to spend an evening if you're not driving too far. Need to know: You'll need to park in the surrounding neighborhood. There is no public parking lot. There are no valets. You'll just have to drive around and look for a spot. You may get lucky, or if you aren't lazy, go farther than where others aren't willing to go. Homeowners's driveways are marked by cones. So obey them and don't block anyone's path. Even though they have heat lamps, dress warm See my photos!

FREE FREE! Had this Christmas light show bookmarked for the longest and finally made it out today…read more Winter wonderland is how I would describe it. The show starts 10 minutes from the actual time they announce online. Giving people who are running late, some leeway. The music, songs and the church itself is breathtaking. If you come early enough, you can grab a seat, otherwise your standing but honestly there are no bad seats/standing area. At the end of the show, there are volunteers that will take pics for you & even hold hand held lights up to give you the perfect selfie/pic. It does get packed, so come early to find parking. Also, reserve free tickets online 1st, there were two lines, one with tickets, one without, the one without was long. They also sell food, balloon lights, drinks, hot chocolate and areas for kid activities. Can't wait to come back next year and make this a yearly tradition. P.S. also, a lot of the homes put cones on the sidewalks to block people from parking right in front of their house. They can't do that, its public right of way, so just move the cone and park.