What to do this week in Pasadena California

This is your friendly weekly guide to Pasadena for the week of September 16. The 18th annual Pasadena ARTWalk fills Playhouse Village with artists and live music this weekend, the Armory closes one exhibition while its other shows keep running, and the Norton Simon, the Gamble House, and the Pasadena Playhouse round out a busy seven days. Each event below comes from a current public listing I verified this week, with sources at the bottom of the post. I am Alejandro Espitia, a Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, licensed in California and serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside for more than 18 years, fluent in English and Spanish. I put this guide together because Pasadena is a wonderful place to live, work, and play, and I love helping you find the best of it.

The Pasadena ARTWalk takes over Playhouse Village

The marquee event of the week is the Pasadena ARTWalk, the city's free, family-friendly, juried art fair, back for its 18th year on Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. More than 175 hand-selected artists set up along Green Street between Los Robles and El Molino Avenues in the Playhouse Village, with live entertainment and hands-on activities for all ages, produced with Jackalope Arts. It is free to wander both days. While you are in the neighborhood, the Old Pasadena Food Tasting Walking Tour also departs Saturday and Sunday, a guided tasting stroll through the city's original commercial district with advance tickets through Visit Pasadena.

The Armory: one show closes, another keeps running

If you have not seen it yet, catch "all the ways to hold tender this land" at the Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Avenue, before it closes on Saturday, September 19. The galleries are open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm, and admission is free, so a Thursday afternoon visit is an easy midweek add. In the same building, "Nurtured Flames: The Medicine of Fire" by Meztli Projects continues through January 16, 2027, with new works by an intergenerational group of eleven Indigenous artists, developed in conversation with Elders and culture bearers.

Midweek at the Norton Simon

Two guided programs stand out at the Norton Simon Museum this week. On Thursday, September 17, at 1:00 pm, the "Mindful Looking" session takes a slow, close look at Claude Monet's "Mouth of the Seine at Honfleur." On Friday, September 18, at 1:00 pm, a guided "Art of South and Southeast Asia" tour explores the collection beyond the European galleries. And the grand exhibition "The Art of Kandy: Sri Lanka's Last Kingdom" remains on view through February 8, 2027, so there is plenty of reason to plan a visit to the museum's galleries on Colorado Boulevard.

Saturday at the Gamble House: storytime, music, and a Broadway ramble

A full Saturday, September 19, awaits at the Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place. The morning starts gently with Musical Storytime with the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, 11:00 am to noon on the lawn under the oak, free and drop-in. In the evening, Music Through the Seasons plays from 5:00 to 7:15 pm. Prefer a quieter visit? Docent-guided tours of the Arts and Crafts landmark continue through the week, roughly noon to early afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sundays. And Lineage Performing Arts Center's "Broadway Gamble Ramble" returns for two more nights this week: Sunday, September 20 at 6:00 pm and Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 pm, a site-specific musical theatre experience performed room by room inside the house. Reserve ahead, as these fill up.

On stage at the Pasadena Playhouse

The Pasadena Playhouse, the official State Theater of California, is presenting the acclaimed musical "The Visit" now through Sunday, October 4. Showtimes vary through the week, so check the Playhouse calendar for your night: matinees and evenings are in the mix, and it is an easy, elegant date night right in the heart of the Playhouse District.

Rose Bowl stadium tours and the farmers' markets

On Thursday, September 17, the Rose Bowl opens for public stadium tours at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm, a fun behind-the-scenes look at one of the most storied venues in the country. Then restock the kitchen at the Pasadena Certified Farmers' Market at Victory Park on Saturday morning and at Villa Parke on Tuesday morning, both running from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm with free entry and fresh local produce.

Free music around town: a Conservatory weekend

The Pasadena Conservatory of Music hosts "Spotlight on Romantic Character Pieces" on Saturday, September 19, at 2:00 pm in its auditorium at 100 N. Hill Avenue, free and open to the public. Then on Monday, September 21, the Conservatory presents Music in the Rose Garden at The Huntington in nearby San Marino, an evening concert set among the roses. While you are at The Huntington, "Doyle Lane: Master of Clay" opened on September 13 and runs through February 22, 2027, celebrating the ceramics of the influential Los Angeles artist. Check the Huntington calendar for the concert details.

A note on times: local event listings can shift, and details like show prices or tour meeting points are occasionally updated by the organizers. Please confirm directly with the venue before you head out, and use the links below for the latest.

Sources: Pasadena ARTWalk, Visit Pasadena, Armory Center for the Arts, Norton Simon Museum events, Gamble House events, Pasadena Playhouse, Rose Bowl Stadium events, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Pasadena Certified Farmers' Markets, The Huntington, and Visit Pasadena.