La Cañada area events: Oktoberfest celebrations, ‘Carved’ at Descanso, Book & Author luncheon and more
A roundup of community events in and around La Cañada Flintridge. To submit items, email carol.cormaci@latimes.com.
EVENTS
La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. Oktoberfest Happy Hour — Friday, Oct. 4, 6 to 8 p.m. This month’s mixer, held in support of the LCF float entry in the Jan. 1 Rose Parade, is hosted by Nancy and John Wolhaupter, 4735 Alta Canyada Road, La Cañada. This event is for ages 21 and up. No reservations are necessary. Admission is free, but guest are asked to bring an appetizer or dessert to share.
Montrose Oktoberfest — Saturday, Oct. 5, noon to 10 p.m. The venue for this lively annual street festival is Honolulu Avenue in the Montrose Shopping Park (the 2200 through 2400 blocks). The food and beverage offerings include German and domestic beer, Bavarian sausages, sauerkraut, steamed pretzels, strudel and more. Live music, contests for Mr. and Mrs. Oktoberfest, Lil Ms and Master Oktoberfest and Best Dressed Bavarian Dog. Kids of all ages can enjoy the carnival rides, face-painting and crafts.
Angeles Crest Art Guild Sale and Scholarship Fundraiser — Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the 11th year, members of the Angeles Crest Art Guild will present their art at a free one-day show and sale at 5120 Earl Drive, La Cañada. Lizz Tucker, the Guild’s president, will host the event featuring 16 artists/artisans spread throughout the property. Works will be available from individual artists in a range of prices and styles including works in oil, fine art photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture and jewelry. Street parking is available and there’s an accessible drop-off area. The artists donate a percentage of their sales for art scholarships.
Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge presents “Coffee with the Captain” — Tuesday, Oct. 8, 10 to 11 a.m. Meet Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Todd Deeds, who oversees the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, in this free event at the Community Center, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive.
Comedy Night with Ron Pearson — Sunday, Oct. 20, doors open 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. La Cañada resident and comedian Ron Pearson is featured in this special show at the Ice House, 24 Mentor Ave., Pasadena, held in support of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. For ages 21 and up, there is a two-drink minimum. General admission tickets are $45 and Golden Circle VIP tickets are $55. To learn more about this “FUNraiser” organized by the CV Sheriff’s Support Group, contact Lisa Dutton at (818) 249-8378. For tickets, visit icehousecomedy.com.
Book & Author Luncheon — Tuesday, Oct. 22, early book sales 9:30 a.m., program, 10:30 a.m., lunch, 12:30 p.m. La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild celebrates 62 years of supporting the Orthopaedic Institute for Children with its annual book event at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 Godbey Drive, La Cañada. The featured authors this year are Brigit Binnes (“Eating Up the West Coast”), Naomi Hirahara (“Iced in Paradise”) and Lydia Fitzpatrick (“Lights All Night Long”). Reservations are $65 and include complimentary valet parking. Seating is limited. To make a reservation, call Marianne Jennings at (818) 398-7323 by Oct. 9.
“Carved” at Descanso Gardens — Wed., Oct. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 27, evenings. The light of 1,000 carved pumpkins will glow throughout this new family-friendly show, for which timed entry tickets are on sale now. Seasonal snacks, pumpkin-carving demonstrations and “special surprises” are promised by the event’s producer, Mike Pollock. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada. Tickets are $25 for Descanso members, $30 for nonmembers and are available at descansogardens.org.
EXHIBIT
Shine a Light at Descanso Gardens’ Sturt Haaga Gallery — Through Oct. 27. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Carole Kim has been working in Descanso as its first artist in residence. Shine a Light is a presentation of her work, including digital metal prints, micro video projections, window treatments and a multimedia installation in the gallery. Outside its doors, she’ll also present site-specific installations throughout the gardens. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada. Free with Descanso admission. Visit descansogardens.org for more details.
KID PICKS
Kidspace Spooktacular: Monster Mash — Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12 and 13, 5:30 to 9 p.m. both dates. Guests are invited to don their costumes, meet up with a “ghost host” and search for candy and other treats, encountering fun and frightful characters along the way. Spooky slime station, “Franken-Art” projects and more. Admission is $14 for guests over age 1 and $10 for Kidspace Museum members. Kidspace Children’s Museum is located in Brookside Park at 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. For more information visit kidspacemuseum.org.
LECTURES
Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation and Theodore Payne Foundation present “The Power of Plants: Growing a Sustainable Future” — Sunday, Oct. 6, 2 to 3 p.m. This free lecture presented by Erin Johnson, will be held in the Visitor Center of the Lanterman House, 4420 Encinas Drive, La Cañada. Visitors will learn about the diversity of California’s native flora and how its use in urban landscapes reduces pesticides, conserves water and transforms spaces into thriving habitats. Lanterman House, with assistance from the Foundation, is planning to install a native plant garden that will represent the landscape the pioneer Lanterman family first saw when they arrived in the 1870s, according to Laura Verlaque, executive director of the Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation. “The Theodore Payne Foundation has drawn up the planting map for the Museum, and we are seeking volunteers to help install and maintain the garden,” she said. Seating for the lecture is offered on a first-come basis, with a maximum occupancy of 40. No reservations are necessary. For more information call (818) 790-1421.
Coyote presentation — Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. At the Los Angeles County Public Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, the Crescenta Valley Sierra Club Group will host Ken Pellman’s presentation on coyotes. Pellman’s presentation will cover his knowledge and understanding of coyote’s habitats as well as their habits. For more information, call Wayne Fisher at (818) 353-4181.
PERFORMANCE
“Magnificent Mozart” Opens Third@First Season at First United Methodist Church, Pasadena — Sat., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. This free program features Junko Ueno Garrett performing as piano soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat. The program will also include the composer’s Requiem, performed by the church’s Chancel Choir augmented by singers from several other area choirs. The Third@First orchestra will be conducted by Gregory Norton. The vocal soloists for the Requiem are Amanda Mello, Cynthia Crass, Matthew Miles and Elliot Levine. Choirs participating include: First Congregational Church of Pasadena, First United Methodist Church of Glendale and Chorale Bel Canto of Whittier. First United Methodist Church is located at 500 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena. Voluntary offerings will be accepted. For more information about the series, visit www.thirdatfirst.org.
CLASSES
International Folk Dancing — Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to learn and do fun and beautiful dances from around the world every Thursday evening at the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Cañada. Teaching level is adjusted to each evening’s participants. The large dance room has a new floor and the ample parking is free. Each dancer’s $5 pays for the class use of the facility. For more details, visit Foothill.Dance or contact JanRayman@charter.net or (818) 790-8523.
SENIORS
Pioneer Club/New Beginnings Club — Mondays at 11 a.m.Seniors who would like to lunch with others and perhaps enjoy a game of bingo or go on outings are invited to check out the Pioneer Club that meets the first and third Monday each month at Holy Redeemer Church, 2411 Montrose Ave., Montrose, or the New Beginnings Club that convenes at St. James the Less, 4625 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta each second and fourth Monday. For more information about the Pioneer Club, call Mary Mancuso at (818) 249-8454. To learn more about the New Beginnings Club call Gloria Pauly at (818) 248-2944.