125th Anniversary: A List of Arts Crawl Events

Scott Feldman, president of the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, released the following information regarding the city's 125th birthday celebration:

It’ll be a “neighborhood night-on-the town” to celebrate South Pasadenaʼs 125th Birthday.

The Chamber of Commerce, South Pasadena Preservation Foundation and local businesses are presenting an evening celebrating the centennial-and-a-quarter with both a look back in time and a wish for the future. The Arts Crawl is free, open to the public and takes place in the historic business district in South Pasadena.

The Camp Carleton Cornet Band, a Civil War reenactment band, will kick off the evening by marching from Gus’s Barbeque on Fair Oaks Ave to the Iron Works Museum next to the Gold Line Station on Mission Street.  There, a Time Capsule Dedication will occur, followed by a theatrical historic reenactment and a costume contest. The Iron Works Museum will be open, and Sew Cranky will be on hand for people to get creative with some century-old, hand-cranked sewing machines.

That same night, a look into the future comes from SPACE Arts Center, presenting “One to Grow On - A Community Wishes for the Future”. This interactive public art installation, designed by Marie Switzer Miller, will be created in real time by walkers-by. The colorful display of bamboo poles and cloth swatches with individual hand-lettered hopes, dreams and wishes will adorn the fence at the corner of Mission Street and Fremont Ave. The completed artwork will represent what the city might become as envisioned by its citizens.

The South Pasadena Arts Council (SPARC) will host a closing event for Howard Dean Spector’s exhibition ColorScapes, at SoPas Gallery where SPARC will debut its Voices for the Arts - a funny, poignant collection of people’s first experiences in the arts.

New artwork by a variety of artists presented by South Pasadena Mercantile Co., Fremont Gallery, Laurie Hendricks Gallery, SOPA Studios, Tah Gallery, and SPACE. Inside some of the alternative venues, such as Lillyʼs, visitors will find the timely “The Art of the Foreclosure,” and inside Duncan Taylor, in addition to seeing Spent Whiskey Cask Artisan Furniture, there will be a sale on Scottish Artist Ian Grayʼs large prints.

The South Pasadena Music Center hosts a full evening of live music including its Jazz Lab Band and String Chamber Ensemble, the indie rock group Leave it Alone, and the introduction of its new Beatles Project. Other live performances can be found inside SOPA Studios, where The Lovers, Severin Browne, Chauncey Bowers with Lisa Turner and Brad Colerick with Steve Hanson will perfom.

Outside the newest café, La Monarca, a troup of musicians will play Son Jarocho – a type of Mexican folk music. Meanwhile, inside Fremont Center Theatre will be a hilarious production of the comedy “Von Bach.”

More than thirty businesses will be open late with open houses, sales and giveaways to celebrate the arts, and the City of South Pasadena’s history.

Arts Crawl is organized by the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce to provide a showcase for artists and musicians and to highlight the city’s unique business district. All attractions are within a few blocks so patrons can easily park and walk to each spot. South Pasadena is easily reached via the Metro Gold Line at Mission Station. A wide variety of restaurants are open, and food trucks including Dosatruck, Paradise Cookies, Rolling Burger Barns and others will be on the streets.

Visit SouthPasadena.net for more information. Visitors are encouraged to use Metro Gold Line, exit at Mission Station in the heart of the City. More information can be found online at www.SouthPasadena.net. 

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