This weekend Pasadena will, simultaneously, be the place to be and not to be.
On one hand, there's a convergence of events that range from space exploration to long-distance cycling. On the other, it pretty much guarantees that traffic in the area will be horrendous for the weekend. Here's a quick breakdown of the events going on:
- The 2017 Amgen Tour of California: hailed as a Tour de France of California, this cycling race goes through hundreds of miles of the State's highways. The cyclists entered L.A. County on Wednesday, rolled into Mount Baldy on Thursday, and is expected conclude the final leg of the race in Pasadena on Saturday. The cyclists will go down State Route 2 and the 210 freeway, then peel off going east on Woodbury Road, and from there they'll go south along North Los Robles Avenue. There'll be road closures, of course; check out the City of Pasadena's website for detours. As noted at KPCC, the east and westbound I-210 off-ramps for Arroyo Boulevard will be closed from approximately 1:20 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Here's a map of the bike route on Pasadena's surface streets:
(Courtesy of the City of Pasadena)
- U2: Bono and the gang will be playing at the Rose Bowl on both Saturday and Sunday (they still, apparently, have not found what they're looking for). Both shows are sold out, and the Rose Bowl has a max capacity of over 90,000, so yes it's going to be packed. Parking lots open at 2:30 p.m., so expect motorists to start piling in at around that time. The opening band, which is apparently the Lumineers, will take the stage at 6:30 p.m.
- Exploring The Jet Propulsion Laboratory: JPL will be hosting its annual visitors event this weekend. Be aware, however, that only people with tickets will be admitted, and the event is sold out. "A Ticket to Explore" will happen on both Saturday and Sunday, and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. There are parking lots near JPL that will be accessed through Oak Grove Drive and North Windsor Avenue. Here's what those routes look like:
(Courtesy of JPL)
- Spring 2017 Boxing Exhibition: boxing? Yes, the city is hosting a boxing competition at Villa Parke Community Center from 1:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Pasadena Motorcycle Club: let's throw in some motorcycles for good measure. The Pasadena Motorcycle Club will be celebrating its 110 anniversary (!), with members assembling at Pasadena City Hall between 2:00 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- LitFest Pasadena: and a literary festival? Will it start off a kind of West Side Story dance-off with the motorcycle club? Either way, the festival will be happening throughout the Pasadena Playhouse District on both Saturday and Sunday, with programming happening from 1:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the first day, and 11:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the second.
We think that covers most of it. The moral of the story here? You should probably avoid Pasadena this weekend unless you're into boxing, space exploration, and The Joshua Tree (the album, not the national park). Also, as noted at NBC 4, there's ongoing construction on the 210 Freeway, so keep that in mind too.
For updates on how the traffic is faring, check out Caltrans' live mapof the area.
