Families find fun, music and food

Father’s Day in La Cañada was a day of music and picnicking as families attended a barbecue and concert at Descanso Gardens and also a free concert at Memorial Park.

Families picnicked on the lawn at Descanso as they listened to jazz standards performed by the Jet Set Quartet and ate barbecued ribs and mushroom burgers prepared by Patina Restaurant Group.

“We were here last year for Father’s Day and we loved it; being out in the open, the music and that the people are really enjoying it. It’s very relaxing,” said Julie Schelvan, of Arcadia. She was on hand with her husband and two sons.

Many families that attended the Descanso and Memorial Park concerts were multi-generational, including grandparents, in-laws, aunts and cousins.

Jim Luck happily stood in the sunshine, holding his granddaughter Adeline Malseed while his daughter Emily, son-in-law T.J. and wife Mary looked on.

Some families were at the Gardens to see the grounds and they meandered through dahlias and foxgloves while waiting for Descanso’s miniature train.

The concert in Memorial Park Sunday evening, featuring Brian Lynn Jones and The Misfit Cowboys, was also a big draw for Father’s Day.

The Burgess family, various members of which came from Santa Clarita, Westlake Village, Tujunga and La Crescenta, started their day by attending the Pasadena Police Classic Car Show on Sunday morning. Afterward, the family made “Star Wars”-themed cupcakes and then decided to attend the concert in Memorial Park, which is a favorite with the family.

“We come mostly every Sunday to the park for music,” said La Crescenta resident Val Burgess.