Taste of South Lake 2012 in Pasadena Weekly!

Pasadena Weekly, 10/11/12 – Taste-filled Fun: ArtNight and Taste of South Lake Invite Pasadenans To Hit the Streets This Weekend (view article)

Pasadena is such a hot arts town that there’s rarely just one great event to experience on any given weekend. This Friday and Saturday provide proof positive of this fun phenomenon as two of the hottest events of the fall take place on back-to-back nights.

ArtNight Pasadena returns with a bang on Friday night, as a bevy of the city’s best arts and cultural venues team up to present everything from Moonwalking at the Pasadena Public Library’s Central Branch to a colorful exhibit on the 35-year history of the Doo Dah Parade at the Pasadena Museum of History. You can also take the kids on a tour of Kidspace’s new Physics Forest, or participate in the “Eternal Telethon” arts installation at Side Street Projects. Add in performances by the Pennington Dance Group, a vocal and dance concert by veteran actress Erica Gimpel and several shows spotlighting innovative local artists, and you’ve got a night with 16 unique choices offered in a mere four-hour time frame.

“There are three performances at the library, plus music and capoeira demonstrations at the Armory and the Pasadena Civic Ballet appearing at Kidspace,” says Meriel Stern, the city’s Arts and Culture Commission chairperson. “My favorite thing is the coffeehouse at City Hall, where you can sit by the fountain with a band playing there.  Those are exciting and always changing. There’s always something new to see at all the participating locations. There are no entrance fees that night, so it’s a really great accessible event for everyone in Pasadena and we’re always proud of that.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the South Lake Business Association invites everyone down to the Taste of South Lake, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The fourth annual food and wine festival spotlights the tastiest treats from the district’s restaurants, as well as live performances by local singers and bands including La Santa Cecilia, Jessica Fichot, Quetzal Guerrero and Dustbowl Revival.

There will also be special guest appearances by Real Food Daily creator and founder Ann Gentry and Chef Bryant Wigger and head bartender Ken Baranda of Trattoria Neapolis, who will headline several live cooking and cocktail demos. Plus, a beer and wine garden should keep everyone smiling throughout the afternoon.

“Taste of South Lake started three years ago as a grassroots marketing effort with several hundred people in attendance,” says Gina Tleel, executive director of the South Lake Business Association. “Now the festival is enjoyed by several thousand people and is recognized as South Lake’s signature event. It’s a fun and creative way to showcase South Lake Avenue and is an ideal environment for community members and South Lake businesses to connect with one another.”

ArtNight Pasadena is from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at locations throughout Pasadena. Admission is free. Free shuttles will take attendees to the various locations. Visit artnightpasadena.org.

Taste of South Lake takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 251 S. Lake Avenue. Admission is free, with free parking. Call (626) 792-1259 or visit southlakeavenue.org.