[photo credit: Visit Pasadena]
This year’s edition, themed “Highway to Adventure!,” doubles as a tribute to two other anniversaries rolling through 2026: the centennial of historic Route 66 and the 150th anniversary of Colorado Boulevard. The museum’s campus at 470 W. Walnut St. will be reimagined as a nostalgic road trip, with time-travel displays, vintage automobiles and motorcycles from local clubs and collectors, hands-on craft workshops, scavenger hunts, trivia contests, live music and souvenir photo stops along the way.
The ceremonial centerpiece arrives at 2 p.m., when Mayor Victor Gordo and special guests take the stage to cut a three-tiered birthday cake. No one needs to wait for the formalities to get a slice, though — organizers say cake, popcorn and lemonade will be served throughout the afternoon.
The party also coincides with the opening of the museum’s newest exhibition, “Where History Meets the Road: Celebrating Route 66 & Colorado Boulevard,” which will be on view during the event and runs through January 2027. Community partners, including the Altadena Historical Society and the Pasadena Society of Artists, will host booths and activities across the grounds.
Admission is free, and no reservations are required.
Happy Birthday Pasadena: Highway to Adventure! will run on Sunday, June 14 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Pasadena Museum of History, 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 577-1660 or visit http://pasadenahistory.org. Admission is free.
