[photo credit: City of Pasadena]
You could play mini golf, go bowling, catch a film at an ornate movie palace, and spend the evening in forgotten nightclubs complete with dance floors, live music, and even a “Harmony Hostess.”
That vanished entertainment strip will come alive again on Sunday, September 21, when “Pasadena After Hours: The Lost Nightlife East of Lake Ave.” takes walkers through the Catalina Villas neighborhood from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The tour promises to uncover spectacular residential gems and long-lost amusements that once lit up this eastside district.
The area around what is now the Pasadena Hotel & Pool and the Ice House was once one of Pasadena’s liveliest spots for “Nite-Life,” revealing how dramatically this corner of the city has transformed.
The Ice House itself embodies this transformation.
Originally opened in 1960 as a folk-music café founded by Willard Chilcott, the venue maintains echoes of Pasadena’s entertainment past.
“It’s almost like you go back in time entering the building,” said Johnny Buss, owner of The Ice House Comedy Club, commenting on the club’s restored 1960s interior during a reopening ceremony.
“Pasadena After Hours: The Lost Nightlife East of Lake Ave.” will run on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Ice House, 24 N. Mentor Ave., in Pasadena. For more call (626) 349-9651 or visit https://www.visitpasadena.com/events/pasadena-after-hours/. Tickets: $28 for adults, $18 for children ages 5 to 12, free for children under 5.
