Russell Mark has a theory about musicians. During COVID, he watched first responders head towards danger to save lives. But in the aftermath, when the sirens stopped and the isolation set in, he noticed something else.
“All musicians realized the first responders who rush in and risk their lives,” Mark said. “But musicians in a way were very much the second responders.”
On Sunday, that theory gets tested again—this time in the shadow of the Eaton Fire’s one-year anniversary—when the fourth annual Pasadena Neighbor Day returns to Wild Parrot Brewing Company in the Lamanda Park neighborhood.
The free event, running from 2 to 8 p.m., features four bands, a mayoral toast, and proceeds benefiting three local nonprofits. But what makes Neighbor Day extraordinary isn’t the lineup or the civic proclamations. It’s what happened last year, when musicians who had lost everything still showed up to play.
Brandon Jay of Quazar and the Bamboozled was one of them. Less than two weeks after the Eaton Fire destroyed his home, Jay took the stage at Wild Parrot. He had a question for Mark beforehand.
“He asked me, ‘I want to play “Burning Down the House” and hand out lyrics. What do you think of that idea? Is it too soon?'” Mark recalled.
Mark told him the decision wasn’t his to make. His own house had survived. “But I said, ‘If that’s what feels cathartic to you, I think go for it.'”
Jay played the song. A recorded version, featuring other fire-affected residents, later appeared on a Flood Magazine compilation. Jay has since founded Altadena Musicians, a nonprofit that replaces instruments and vinyl records lost in the fires.
Two bands at last year’s Neighbor Day had lost homes between them. They played anyway.
“In 2025 the day served as a de facto Eaton Fire day of healing and community support,” Mark said, “featuring several bands booked pre-fire who lost their homes but still rallied and played the show, because they felt it was important to feel some normalcy.”
The origin of Pasadena Neighbor Day sounds like a punchline. In January 2023, Mark and his wife, cellist Mika Larson, were wrapping up rehearsal with their Americana duo, The Nextdoors, when Mark glanced at his phone.
“I see a notification on Instagram, I click on it, and the mayor and his team had made a Saturday Night Live parody video basically about how they’re going to declare Pasadena Neighbor Day for the whole city,” Mark said.
The Nextdoors and Wild Parrot Brewing Company had launched a lighthearted social media campaign asking Mayor Victor Gordo to make their small neighborhood concert into something official. They didn’t expect him to respond with a comedy sketch filmed with his staff—or to show up at the brewery to address the crowd.
For Mark, the moment was transformative.
“Prior to that, I wasn’t a super community-minded individual, didn’t get really involved too much in civic stuff,” he said. “But to me that felt like a call to action. You can’t ignore that.”
Four years later, Gordo still delivers an annual toast. This year’s is scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Eaton Fire changed what Neighbor Day means. Mark now speaks about neighboring in life-or-death terms.
“Never was the importance of knowing your neighbors highlighted more,” he said. “Knowing who may have a disability, sensitive to breathing issues, lacking a car, working nights with pets at home alone—all these things suddenly became vital in a potential life or death scenario.”
Last year, on the morning of Neighbor Day, air quality in Pasadena remained questionable. The gathering moved indoors. But Mark and Larson did something smaller first: they hand-delivered invitations to every house on their block and the next one over, asking neighbors to come for coffee. Starbucks donated the supplies.
“We got to know a lot of new people that live right here, right in our area,” Mark said. “That’s been wonderful over the course of this last year to have these new connections.”
They’re doing it again Sunday morning.
This year marks Neighbor Day’s expansion into a citywide model. For the first time, businesses and residents can register their own events at pasadenaneighborday.com. The City of Pasadena’s Economic Development Division has signed on as co-host.
Kulturas Latin Kitchen & Cantina is offering all-day happy hour from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Imagine Co-Labs music school is leading a family jam session at Victory Park. Other participating businesses include Monopole by WineRX and El Portal.
“We are always looking for ways to bring more vitality into our neighborhood commercial districts, and Lamanda Park is a perfect neighborhood to host the main event of the day,” said David Klug, the city’s economic development director.
District 4 Councilmember Gene Masuda, whose district includes the venue, called the event “a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our community, strengthen connections, and support local businesses.”
Proceeds from Sunday’s main event benefit three organizations deeply affected by the Eaton Fire: the Pasadena Educational Foundation, the Pasadena Firemen’s Relief Association, and Lightbringer Project, which produces the Doo Dah Parade and ran activities for children stranded at a convention center in the fire’s chaotic aftermath.
Last year’s event raised more than $3,500 for fire relief, with over $1,700 going to the Pasadena Educational Foundation and Pasadena Symphony relief funds.
Raffle prizes include 2027 Rose Bowl Parade tickets donated by Masuda’s office and a behind-the-scenes experience with the Ann & Hanna show.
Mark has no ambitions to turn Neighbor Day into a festival.
“I don’t envision Neighbor Day becoming a festival with a shutdown street and a big stage,” he said. “I want it to happen in smaller ways—in living rooms, in coffee shops turned into makeshift swing dance floors for a day.”
John Jackson, who co-owns Wild Parrot with his wife, Kirsten, said the brewery’s purpose aligns with that vision.
“A place like ours doesn’t just look at success as a ledger book—our purpose is to bring a community together, and help form closer local bonds, never more so than in 2025,” Jackson said.
Mark acknowledges the timing is difficult. The holidays just ended. The fire’s anniversary still dampens spirits.
“Getting people’s attention isn’t easy,” he said. “But that’s okay.”
Sunday’s lineup opens at 3 p.m. with the Licata Brothers, a folk-rock duo from Arcadia. Nina Lares leads a yacht rock singalong at 4 p.m. The Nextdoors take the stage at 5:15 p.m. Los Angeles rock outfit Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls close the show at 6:30 p.m. Resident influencer Michael Calderon, known locally as “Mr. Pasadena,” hosts for the third consecutive year.
As for The Nextdoors, their ambitions remain modest.
“We’re going to be very happy just playing down the road at our favorite local brew pub for neighbors and good people,” Mark said. “And that’s all we want out of it personally.”
The Fourth Annual Pasadena Neighbor Day takes place Sunday, January 18, from 2 to 8 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages, subject to venue capacity. The main event is at Wild Parrot Brewing Company, 2302 E. Colorado Blvd., in the Lamanda Park neighborhood. Food and beverages are available for purchase. For more information, visit pasadenaneighborday.com.
