2021 CALENDAR

Architectural Legacy Tours

Thursday, December 16 through Thursday, January 6

Tickets: $18 – $21

This holiday season Pasadena Heritage pays tribute to a few of our many legacies that make Pasadena special. We invite you and your holiday guests to participate in three virtual Zoom programs featuring often-overlooked people and places of diversity that helped build our community. Also, we are back for our first in-person, docent-guided walking tour since the start of the pandemic! Join us for a tour of one of our finest neighborhoods. The three Zoom programs are sold as a package and the walking tour is a separate ticketed event.

Click here for event descriptions and to purchase tickets.

Preservation Pasadena: Craftsman to Modern Program Recordings

Tickets will be on sale through December 25, 2021 and recordings will be made available for viewing to ticket purchasers until December 31, 2021.

Individual Tickets: $15 Members $18 Nonmembers; Full Package Tickets: $140 Members $180 Nonmembers

Purchase Tickets Here!

Last year Pasadena Heritage’s Craftsman Weekend was reimagined with a broader frame and a new name! The city of Pasadena is home to some of the most notable examples of architect-designed properties from Craftsman style to Modern and everything in between. Explore architectural style and design over five decades and learn the connections and differences that illustrate how architecture changed through time. Recordings are now available to watch at your convenience for this year’s fall education event, Preservation Pasadena: Craftsman to Modern.

Visit our event page for a full schedule of programs.

The Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture

“England’s Pull: The Anglophilia of Charles Sumner Greene” with special guest speaker Edward “Ted” Bosley

Sunday, December 12, 2021 | 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Tickets: FREE Registration | $20 Suggested Donation per household

This event will not be recorded.

Register here! 

Dr. Robert Winter was a gift to us and to the cause of historic preservation nationwide – his teaching, writing, critical eye and witty commentary still influence what we do and how we look at historic places. He led the way in creating Pasadena’s preservation ordinance and commission and supported us, educated us and urged us to be a strong voice for the architectural legacy that surrounds us.

Renowned Greene & Greene scholar, author and expert Edward “Ted” Bosley will be our special guest speaker. Ted Bosley is Executive Director Emeritus of The Gamble House, and during a career spanning more than 30 years he has published and lectured widely on architects Greene & Greene and the American Arts & Crafts movement.

This virtual program is offered free of charge, and we hope you will join us — registration is required so please click here.

Blinn House Virtual Hard Hat Tour and Special Announcement

Sunday, October 10, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Tickets: FREE (registration required)

Register here! 

Although our in-person celebration Opening New Doors: A Blinn House Celebration has been postponed until early 2022, we could not wait to update you on the ongoing restoration projects taking place at the Blinn House! Please join us on October 10th for a virtual hard hat tour of the Blinn House, a brief update on the home’s restoration, and a very special announcement.

Please RSVP by Saturday, October 9th. A link to access the Zoom event will be emailed to attendees the morning of the event.

Old Pasadena Virtual Tour

Saturday, October 2, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Tickets: $12 – $15

Purchase tickets here! 

This year’s Old Pasadena Tours have taken place every other month, and each tour has focus on a different theme. The final tour of the year will take place on Saturday, October 2nd at 10:00 AM and the theme will be “Often Over-looked Architectural Details of Old Pasadena” hosted by historic architect William Ellinger III and Board Member John Dean. This tour will be given over Zoom.

Old Pasadena continues to be a shopping and dining destination but without Pasadena Heritage, this National Register Historic District would have been destroyed! Now it is one of the finest examples of downtown revitalizations in the country. These tours will be given over Zoom with trained docents who will lead you on a visual walk through the historic district revealing many hidden and unusual architectural details of Pasadena’s original downtown.

Sites, Scenes and Stories: Intersections of Architecture and the Pasadena Latino Community in the 20th Century

Saturday, September 25, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Tickets: FREE Registration | $15 Suggested Donation

Register here! 

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Pasadena Heritage welcomes Roberta H. Martínez as our special guest speaker on Saturday, September 25, at 10:00 AM. The event will take place on Zoom and will be free to everyone.

Ms. Martínez will share rare archival images of schools, businesses, churches and a pivotal Greene and Greene project that hold significant cultural and historical heritage for our city and Los Angeles County.

Roberta H. Martínez was born and raised in East Los Angeles received her BA in Music and MA in Music History from University of California, Riverside.  She is an actor, independent scholar, and writer.  She is a Reader at the Huntington library and has presented her research in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as the Huntington itself.   She has been interviewed by CSPAN as an expert on the history of the Latino Community in Pasadena and has curated physical and virtual exhibits.   Ms. Martínez has served as Executive Director of Latino Heritage Association and was a founder of the Latino Heritage parade and Jamaica.   Her book, “Latinos in Pasadena”, was published in 2009.

Old Pasadena Virtual Tour

Saturday, August 7, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Tickets: $12 – $15

Purchase tickets here! 

In August, the Old Pasadena tour tour will highlight transportation.

Old Pasadena continues to be a shopping and dining destination but without Pasadena Heritage, this National Register Historic District would have been destroyed! Now it is one of the finest examples of downtown revitalizations in the country. These tours will be given over Zoom with trained docents who will lead you on a visual walk through the historic district revealing many hidden and unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs of Pasadena’s original downtown.

Quarantine Crawl: Virtual Happy Hour

Saturday, July 24 | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Ticket holders experienced the history of some famous and infamous Pasadena watering holes and haunts on our Historic Happy Hour. They enjoyed a guided beer tasting, sampled some of Pasadena’s best brews, and tested their Pasadena knowledge with special trivia! This month was hosted at Cervecería Del Pueblo, one of Pasadena’s newest breweries!

Ticket cost included a flight of beers, snacks, and a commemorative tasting glass.

Spring Home Tours

Individual Tickets (includes one day of tours with two homes): Nonmember $18 | Member $15

Series Package (includes tickets for all three days of tours with six homes): Nonmember $50 | Member $40

Click here for more information OR Purchase tickets here! 

Pasadena Heritage presented a new version of our annual Spring Home Tour. Instead of a one-day event, tours of six architectural works of art were offered as a series. Recordings of two different home tours premiered on the last Sundays of April, May and June. Recordings were available through July 4.

Recording of Japanese American Stories from Pasadena

Available until July 4th

This presentation is FREE but a $15 donation per household is suggested. Your donations will help support Pasadena Heritage’s education and advocacy efforts!

Register here! 

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Pasadena Heritage welcomed Susie Ling and Bryan Takeda. Susie is Professor of History and Asian American Studies at Pasadena City College. Bryan was raised in Pasadena and the founder of Kansha Pasadena (meaning gratitude in Japanese language). Kansha strives to honor, preserve, and share the unique history and culture of Japanese Americans in the Greater Pasadena area by researching and documenting family histories, personal stories, cultural sites and historic buildings.

Old Pasadena Virtual Tour

Saturday, June 5, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Tickets: $12 – $15

Purchase tickets here! 

In June, the Old Pasadena tour tour will include visits to several alleyways. The historic alleyways are nearly unchanged since their Victorian-era beginnings. One of the visits will be to Mercantile Place, the back end of several well-known establishments that fronted Colorado Boulevard, including Hertel’s Dry goods, J.W. Woods druggist, Hotaling & Co. men’s clothing, and the original A. C. Vroman’s bookstore. It also included a grocer, a confectioner, a baker, a jeweler, and The Pasadena and Valley Union newspaper, the only paper in town in the late 1880s-1890s.

Old Pasadena continues to be a shopping and dining destination but without Pasadena Heritage, this National Register Historic District would have been destroyed! Now it is one of the finest examples of downtown revitalizations in the country. These tours will be given over Zoom with trained docents who will lead you on a visual walk through the historic district revealing many hidden and unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs of Pasadena’s original downtown.

Quarantine Crawl: Virtual Happy Hour

Saturday, May 22 | 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

Tickets : $10 Member & Non-Member

Purchase Tickets Here!

Purchase Wine Here!

Join Pasadena Heritage docents this month for a live wine tasting featuring a special natural wine from Pasadena’s local winery, Vin de California! Sample a delicious wine, immerse yourself in local history, and test your Pasadena knowledge all from the comfort of home! We are thrilled to be joined by Kate and Adam Vourvoulis, Co-Owners of the Good Luck Wine Shop and VDC Winery for this special Virtual Happy Hour.

And what would a Virtual Happy Hour be without some trivia? In honor of Pasadena’s rich wine history, we’re serving up trivia that will focus on East Pasadena and California’s heritage varieties!

Instructions and Virtual Happy Hour materials will be available for download after purchase. Please note, ticket price does not include wine, which must be purchased separately from the winery.

For more information, or to register for this event, please click here.

Old Pasadena Virtual Tour

Saturday, April 10, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Tickets: $12 – $15

Purchase tickets here! 

Old Pasadena continues to be a shopping and dining destination but without Pasadena Heritage, this National Register Historic District would have been destroyed! Now it is one of the finest examples of downtown revitalizations in the country. These tours will be given over Zoom with trained docents to lead you on a visual walk through the historic district revealing many hidden and unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs. This month’s tour will include a visit to Mills Place, Pasadena’s original China Town. Learn the history of some early Chinese-owned businesses and how a fire destroyed them. You will hear the history of how anti-Chinese sentiment plagued the city in the 1880s, and drove Chinese residents out of our original downtown.

A Tribute to Julia Morgan

Saturday, March 13, 2021 | 10:00 AM (A recording of this Zoom presentation will be made available to ticket purchasers until March 28, 2021.)

Tickets: $12 Members| $15 Nonmembers – Click here to purchase!

Pasadena Heritage presents A Tribute to Julia Morgan, a presentation and discussion on the life and work of this ground-breaking architect by Professor Emerita, Cal Poly Pomona, Ana Maria Whitaker. Julia Morgan was the first woman architect licensed in the state of California in 1904 and ran a very successful firm for 42 years. She hired women draftspersons, architects and artists to work with her. Her projects were built in 47 California cities and include institutional, commercial and residential properties in multiple styles. Julia Morgan is perhaps most famously known for having designed Hearts Castle, but she is also known for designing 20 YWCA buildings in California, Hawaii, Utah, and Arizona. Sue Mossman, Executive Director of Pasadena Heritage, will give an update on the future of Pasadena’s own Julia Morgan building, the former YWCA and the city’s plans for rehabilitation. Learn more about this extraordinary woman as we celebrate Women’s History Month!

Regarding Paul R. Williams: A Photographer’s View

A recording of this Zoom presentation is available for purchase until March 28, 2021.

Tickets: $12 Members| $15 Nonmembers – Click here to purchase!

Regarding Paul R. Williams is a photographic exploration of the work of the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects. Known as the “architect to the stars,” Paul Revere Williams was a Los Angeles native who built a wildly successful architectural practice decades before the Civil Rights Movement. He designed municipal buildings and private homes as well as banks, churches, hospitals, and university halls. He designed public housing projects and mansions for celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. In 2017, nearly forty years after his death, he became the first black recipient of the AIA Gold Medal.

Quarantine Crawl: Virtual Happy Hour

Saturday, March 27 | 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

Tickets : $10 Member & Non-Member

Join Pasadena Heritage docents this month for a live beer tasting featuring a special 4-pack from Eagle Rock Brewery! Sample delicious brews, immerse yourself in local history, and test your Pasadena knowledge all from the comfort of home! We are thrilled to be joined by Ting Su and Jeremy Raub and Co-Owners of Eagle Rock Brewery for this special Virtual Happy Hour.

And what would a Virtual Happy Hour be without some trivia? In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re serving up trivia that will focus on the women who helped shape Pasadena!

Instructions and Virtual Happy Hour materials will be available for download after purchase. Please note, ticket price does not include beer, which must be purchased separately from the brewery.

For more information, or to register for this event, please click here.

Old Pasadena Virtual Tour

Saturday, February 6, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (A recording of this Zoom presentation will be made available to ticket purchasers until February 28, 2021.)

Tickets: $12 – $15

Click here to purchase tickets. 

Due to the complications of touring Old Pasadena in person during the pandemic, we suspended our Old Pasadena Walking Tours in 2020. However, beginning the first weekend in February of 2021 we will premiere our virtual tours of Old Pasadena. Tours will take place every other month and each tour will focus on a different theme. The first tour will celebrate Black History Month and look at the African American influences in the development of our first commercial district. Old Pasadena continues to be a shopping and dining destination but without Pasadena Heritage, this National Register Historic District would have been destroyed! Now it is one of the finest examples of downtown revitalizations in the country. These tours will be given over Zoom with trained docents who will lead you on a visual presentation through the historic district and reveal its many hidden and unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs.

Quarantine Crawl: Virtual Happy Hour

Saturday, January 30 | 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

Tickets : $35 Member & Non-Member

Keep the festive feel of the New Year going with 2021’s first Virtual Happy Hour featuring a live, guided tasting of Common Space brews. Learn about the art of brewing, smell the hops and malt, and sample some great SoCal beers. We are thrilled to be joined by Common Space Co-Founder and CEO, Brent Knapp, for this very special Zoom happy hour!

Ticket price includes beer, cost of delivery, a Common Space pint glass, and access to our Zoom event. Registration for this event ends on Monday, January 25.

For more information, or to register for this event, please click here.

Pasadena Heritage Annual Meeting

Thursday January 28 | 6:00 – 8:00pm

Tickets : Member Free | Non-Member $10 donation

You are invited to join us for a virtual presentation on the historic Blinn House. We will also recap the accomplishments of the last year and elect new members to the Board of Directors. Registration for this event will close on Wednesday, January 27th.

This event is free for current Pasadena Heritage members. To register for this event, please click here.