News of the Arroyo
Title: | A celebration on the Colorado Street bridge |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2006-07-14 |
Summary: | July 14, 2006 - Pasadena Heritage's big celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge is this weekend. |
Author: | Bridget Schinnerer, Correspondent, U-Entertainment |
Publication: | Pasadena Star News |
Content: | On any given weekend, an outdoor festival or celebration can usually be found in Pasadena. What makes Saturday\'s Pasadena Heritage fund-raising event unusual is its location it takes place 150 feet above the floor of the Arroyo Seco riverbed on the Colorado Street Bridge. The historical bridge, which has escaped demolition many times since it was built in 1913, will be closed to accommodate the celebration which begins at 6 p.m. and includes food, live music, dancing, children\'s activities, antique cars and classic bicycles. “This event is a celebration of preservation on a bridge that we think we were instrumental in saving,” said Hunt Salembier, chair of both the event committee and the Pasadena Heritage board of directors. “We focus on making this a family event and making it a desirable place to bring children.” Approximately 4,000 people are expected to attend the celebration, including Pasadena\'s Mayor Bill Bogaard. “It\'s now a truly well-established tradition in the City of Pasadena and a great celebration of Pasadena\'s history and its architectural heritage,” Bogaard said. “It seems to get more popular every year. It is family-oriented and of course there is great food.” “We want to make sure this a community event,” Salembier said. “This also is an opportunity to help support and showcase local restaurants.” Food such as baked potatoes, churros, ribs, tacos, chicken, cobbler and funnel cakes will be for sale. In addition, seafood gumbo will be offered, a signature dish of the Gourmet Cobbler Factory a first-time participant. “It\'s an old family recipe of my husband\'s, who is from Louisiana,” Gourmet Cobbler Factory owner Gloria Powell said. “We are looking forward to our first event with Pasadena Heritage.” This is the 18th year the organization is celebrating on the bridge and each year the committee tries to include new food vendors, children\'s activities and musicians in the festivities to keep things fresh, Salembier said. Returning favorite Snotty Scottie and the Hankies will be featured on the main stage and new musical offerings will include the Donavan-Muradian Jazz Quartet, the Atomic Sherpas and the Doug McDonald Big Band, said committee member Peter Wilson. On the Country and Western Stage, newcomers Heather Waters and Pecos will be performing. A bluegrass band and barbershop quartet will be roving amongst the crowd throughout the day. “We are trying to have a different flavor on each stage,” Wilson said. “I try to keep it all very local. It is a fund-raiser so people have to be willing to donate their time.” The California Science Center will bring a telescope and other new activities for children to enjoy, Pasadena Heritage Executive Director Sue Mossman said. Face painting, music, dance, coloring, and fun fitness will also be available in the children\'s area, which is open until 10 p.m. The spectacular views from atop the bridge include the Vista del Arroyo Bungalows and the La Loma Bridge to the south and the Rose Bowl to the north. Proceeds from the bridge celebration will allow the organization to continue to advocate for the historical significance of these properties, among others. “This celebration is a fund-raising opportunity so there is always a voice championing preservation,” Mossman said. “We are more and more determined to find innovative and successful ways of preserving the city\'s resources.” Presently, one of the organization\'s projects is the oversight of the renovation of Pasadena City Hall, originally completed in 1927. Mossman said this renovation, as with any historical project, is challenging because it can be difficult to reconcile “as-built” drawings with the reality of a structure. Additionally, it can be challenging to install fire sprinklers and wiring and cabling to support today\'s technology while preserving the original fabric of the structure. Pasadena Heritage is the second largest preservation organization in California, and Mossman said, “it has become a beacon for those west of the Mississippi.” The 2,000-member organization also hosts two other annual fund-raising events, the spring home tour and the Craftsman weekend, which Salembier said are educational. But, he said, “this event is more of a celebration.” |
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