[photo credit: Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts]
The Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts — a volunteer-run Pasadena nonprofit whose grants reach the Pasadena Unified School District, Altadena Music Theatre, and dozens of other San Gabriel Valley organizations — is staging a whiskey-and-chocolate tasting Friday evening inside the Baldwin Oaks Estate in Arcadia. The organization, which according to its own materials has contributed more than $27 million to local music programs since its founding in 1948, stages the Showcase House as its sole annual fundraiser. Friday’s event is the first of four Speakeasy Friday Nights during the current run.
The April 24 tasting pairs four selected whiskeys with chocolate truffles and small bites, guided by knowledgeable presenters, according to the organization. Pickleback Shine Country Western Band performs live. The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hole in the Wall Tavern, one of three dining and bar spaces spread across the estate’s nearly two acres of oak-shaded grounds. A $50 per-person ticket is required; the Showcase House tour ticket is separate. Guests must be 21 or older.
The Showcase House itself is a rare access opportunity. The Baldwin Oaks Estate, an 8,065-square-foot shingle-style home built in 1907 on what was once the property of Clara Baldwin Stocker — eldest daughter of California land developer Elias “Lucky” Baldwin — has never before been opened to public tour, according to the organization. The 2026 run marks the fourth time the Showcase has been held in Arcadia.
In its 2024/25 grant cycle, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts awarded $1 million to 90 nonprofits and schools — the second consecutive year it reached that threshold. Among the recipients were PUSD, A Noise Within, and Altadena Music Theatre. The organization fully funded all grant requests from schools and organizations impacted by the Eaton Fire, according to a statement from then-President Matt McIntyre.
Lisa Loeffler, the organization’s 2024/25 Gifts & Grants Chair, described the breadth of programs the fundraising supports. “Every year, our Gifts & Grants program touches thousands of lives in the Pasadena area and Los Angeles County,” Loeffler said, according to a Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts press release. “From underserved communities and special needs children and adults, to summer park performances, and summer school workshops, our funding supports programs that enrich the community and provide musical experiences for all ages.”
President Dotty Ewing said the organization looked forward to the season ahead. “We received such a gracious response from the city as well as our neighbors,” Ewing said at the opening of the 61st season in January. “We are looking forward to a banner year.”
Three additional Speakeasy Friday Nights follow: May 1 features a tequila tasting with Cinco de Mayo-inspired tapas; May 8 brings sake and shochu with Japanese-inspired small bites; and May 15 offers a specialty wine and cheese pairing. All run 6 to 8 p.m. and cost $50 per person. Tickets are not interchangeable between dates but may be exchanged up to seven days before the event, subject to availability.
Need to Know: The Speakeasy Friday Night Whiskey and Chocolate Pairing takes place Friday, April 24, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person; must be 21 or older. The Showcase House tour ticket is separate and not required for this event. Tickets: tickets.pasadenashowcase.org or 626-606-1600, Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. All guests must take the shuttle; parking at Santa Anita Park, Huntington Gate 3, Lot C, Huntington Drive and Holly Avenue, Arcadia 91007. Arrive at least 45 minutes before your event time. The event is in the Hole in the Wall Tavern, Baldwin Oaks Estate. The property address is not published; shuttles depart from Santa Anita Park only.
The oaks around Baldwin Oaks Estate were already old when Clara Baldwin Stocker threw her legendary parties here. The estate is serving up whiskey and country music now — and the tab goes toward keeping music in Pasadena’s schools.
