Levitt Pavilion Pasadena

Free summer concerts… what more could you ask for? Bring a blanket, dinner or snacks, a bottle of wine, and relax to the sound of free music.

This place is so awesome. So glad it exists and that it is free. Things like this truly make the world a better place. We brought the kids to see Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra on a Friday night. After reading reviews, I knew to arrive early because parking would be problematic, and that you need to come early to get a good seat. We were seated by 7:15pm for an 8:00 show, and there was still plenty of room. We weren’t right up close, but that’s not what we wanted so it was okay.
There were people selling food, and Yogurtland was there. The playground behind the ampitheatre was a nice distraction for my kids while they waited for the show to start. The vibe all together was really mellow. Lots of security, but ironically, no one said anything to anyone about those high back chairs. Those are really irritating. Please don’t be that person. Bring a blanket or a low profile chair.
As it gets dark, the white lights in all the trees come on, and this place really just gets magically beautiful. It would be a great place for a date. Cute and romantic.
Beware of the parking signs. They are really confusing. It appears that the meters are only valid until 9pm, but that is not the case.

Much rather see a concert here than the Hollywood Bowl is one thing I can tell you! At least if you come early, you can park your folding chair close to the stage. Seats this close are unaffordable at the Bowl.
If you are going to a show here – they usually start on time so don’t arrive fashionably late like at a Rock concert at Staples.
And there are a TON of restaurants within walking distance for all price ranges.
And after the show there are lots of bars and restaurants to hang out at.
And parking the night I was there was $ 5.00 Flat for a good self-​park covered lot within 1 – 2 blocks, and $ 7.00 Flat for a great newer self-​park lot 3 – 4 blocks away if you need to protect the Rolls or Bentley or your new Honda.
During the shows here they pass the tin can like at a Church asking for donations. It’s not required to give, but if you don’t want to be stopped on your way out of town by the Pasadena Police – you better give something. Just kidding – the police don’t get involved – they have a secret Levitt squad that will get you.

Just discovered this venue. What a pleasant surprise! The two performances I have seen were for artist that were new to me. Loved them both. The artist know how to connect with their audience. The people watching come to enjoy the ambience. Bring snacks, a blanket and a smile. Be open to having people trying to fit in whatever space is available. Well organized. Be willing to donate. We are lucky to have this as a free venue. Parking is easy across the street $ 5.00. Come at least 1 – 1.5 hours before the start of the show. Family friendly!

The Levitt Pavilion is located in Memorial Park. it is rather a small park but has a little playground in the back and clean restrooms which is a big plus for us parents. What a great place to spend with family and friends! .we watched Black Violin play last night it was amazing! Did not disappoint. they put on such a great show and the atmosphere was fun and family friendly. Its free but donations are appreciated to continue these live summer night performances. Black Violin was nothing quiet. it was fun and energetic, everyone was dancing to the music… bring your blankets, lawn chairs, dinner/snacks.some wine and enjoy the show. Look up their website to find an upcoming free concert of your interest. Will definitely be returning soon!

The concept of the venue itself is wonderful, as are the artists that are slated to appear. I was there last night to see the Pete Escovedo Orchestra featuring Sheila E. The concert began at 7pm but by 530pm, it was very difficult to find a spot. I wans’t concerned with being front and center and this did not bother me. What did bother me was the vast amount of people in high portable chairs (the website specifically bans these types of chairs) and people just blatantly standing in the walkways blocking everyone else’s view. There were some event staff trying to keep the aisles clear, but did nothing about the chairs. There were also giant speakers placed right next to Sheila E’s drumset and so I didn’t see her at all during the show. I know these are necessary, but maybe someone could have realized that they were gonna block one of the main artists and move them over slightly? Actually I hardly saw anyone on the stage at all because the amount of people blocking. Also, 1 of the 3 bathrooms stalls in the ladies’ room was out of order, causing a huge line. I waited 20 minutes and when I exited, the line was twice as long as when I had started.
If you do go: Get there more than 2 hours before showtime, bring food/​drinks/​snacks, make ample time to use the bathrooms, and bring change for the meters as not all of them accept cards.

So came here last night and it was amazing we saw John Fullbright who was just awesome. If you’re big on discovering new artists and open to different types of music then you’ll love it. This was my first time coming here and it’s something id definitely come back to. It was the perfect date night place with live music Christmas lights on the trees. Plus it’s free!!! How awesome is that!
Word of advice: Just make sure you bring a blanket maybe some food and drinks and it’ll be great. It so happened to be the last night of the summer series concerts but stay tuned for next year, because I sure will.

For some reason it reminded me of a small version of the Hollywood Bowl right in the heart of Pasadena!

WAS JAZZED TO SEE PETE ESCOVEDO STRIKE AND SCRAPE
BACKGROUND:
The Mortimer Levitt Foundation (MLF), created in 1966 by New York philanthropists Mortimer and Mimi Levitt, donates funds to support performing arts venues that build communities, support diversity, and enhance access to the arts. Mortimer Levitt, who had a long love affair with outdoor music, grew up in an era when almost every community had a Sunday afternoon concert on the village green. Enjoying outdoor music under the stars felt extremely magical to Mortimer. On his 90^th birthday, Mortimer sold the company he had owned for 60 years and decided to replace his 82 custom shirt shops with Levitt Pavilions around the country.
Legendary Percussionist Pete Escovedo is an artist who broke down the barriers between Smooth Jazz, Salsa, Latin Jazz and contemporary music. His name has been synonymous in the music industry for more than 50 years. Pete is known worldwide for his live performances, session work and solo albums.
As a young boy he would sit on the steps of nightclubs and watch musicians play. Music became his outlet. When he was 15 years old he began to also sketch and paint on wood or cardboard. Anything he could get his hands on, he would start to draw.
— See more at:
STATS:
Outdoor event
Minimal elevation gain
Public Restrooms
Food trucks
Loud music
Street/​Structure/​Lot parking
Arrive early for better parking and seating options
ESSENTIALS:
Blankets
Chairs
Sweaters
Comfy shoes (depending on where you park, a bit of walking might be required)
Food
Beverages
Money for parking and/​or food
EXPERIENCE:
Couple weeks ago, fellow hiker and I were looking for something to do and I came across events held at the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena. We decided on seeing Pete Escovedo, and WOW!!! great choice. I saw Sheila E. perform at the Disney Hall NYE and she was so freakin’ amazing. Age 57 and she was striking and scraping the percussions while dancing to the beat and singing. So much music talent packed in a wonderful woman. No doubt her father carried that gene as heard during his performance Sunday night at the pavillion. In between songs Pete got personal telling us stories of his family and cracking jokes.
On top of all this greatness; the venue, the people, and music, fellow Unilocalers Jo Anne S. and Tim C. joined in on the fun. So glad they shared this wonderful event. What a spectacular way to end a great weekend.
Levitt Pavilion events will be forever on my calendar task bar. If you ever get a chance to experience a performance at this venue, I strongly suggest you do.

If you’re looking for a spot to kick it, it’s pretty chill. There’s a free summer concert series that has surprisingly good artists. During the concerts there’s food vendors that setup on the left of the stage. The atmosphere is pretty nice as well. Everyone is there to have a nice picnic and enjoy lovely music

For free summer concerts, this place is great ! You can lay out on a blanket and watch the concert and even bring goodies to eat while you watch the concert. The vendors are also pretty cool too. For a free event, it doesn’t get much better.

Lovely show with Irene Diaz tonight! Great musician. Awesome outdoor area with free concerts! Bring a blanket, some snacks, and a jacket! Some food trucks available, too. Parking lot across the street on Raymond is only $ 5.

Easy to find, lots of parking nearby, great sound during performances. Bathroom could be improved w/​more stalls and better toilet seats, considering this venue is very close to many hot spots in Pasadena.

I went to the African Funk show, and I have to admit, I LOVED IT! There is nothing better than free music in the park on a summer night. It’s amazing what they do and I’m so happy to live in a city where they do these type of live music events. I met a great lady at the MUSE/​IQUE booth who is part of a counter conventional orchestra… whatever that means, but they do live music outdoors as well. I think their shows do cost money, but they have Grammy nominated singers coming to perform with their orchestra so I understand and am planning to go July 5. TOTALLY AWESOME NIGHT!

A great way to spend a Sunday summer evening! The free (okay, donation) music events are fun. It’s like the Cinespia movie-​in-​a-​cemetery, but with a WAY mellower vibe — a more chill crowd (way less aggro hipster) with more families and a lot more room to spread out on the lawn. Bring your picnic basket and a blanket or chairs. It’s nice that the bathrooms are full bathrooms, not just porta-​potty. Look for the jazz nights, those are amazing. Park in a public lot on Raymond or nearby, plan to spend about $ 5 – 7 on parking. Also if you refer to Google Maps, do NOT follow their directions to «Huntington Drive» location — it is WRONG! This theatre is in a park at Holly/​Raymond, so be warned. I also recommend arriving at least 1 hour before showtime to secure a good blanket spot — it does get crowded and if you have a large group you may be challenged to find space. Best seating: there is a hill/​rise near the back of the seating area that allows for a good view to the stage. (No need to cram in up close to the stage!)

The free summer concert series is AWESOME! Genuinely talented (and sometimes fairly well-​known) artists Wednesday — Sunday for three months each summer by donation only.
Bring a blanket and a picnic (and a jacket) or some cash for the food trucks.
My applause to the people who organize these shows!

I’ve been to a few Levitt Pavilion summer concerts and loved them all. Last night was the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and they didn’t disappoint!
Our group got there about 20 mins before showtime and the lawn was packed! We ended up sitting a little to the side with an almost view and took turns heading over to the dance section.
The music was great — and free!
We brought our own snacks but also sampled the food options that were available there. It is really nice to have the option to do both.
We paid about $ 4 for parking and were only a few blocks away. The garage had 90 mins free and then $ 2/​hour after that.

Opening Night at the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena was wonderful The Jazz Leaders Perform all original material, these Jazz Leaders are moving into the 21^st Century
by creating a fresh new sound, mixing hard boping, funky gospel, and Latin styles. If you thinking about going stop thinking just go you need to do it Trust me I will give you five good reasons why you need to go.
1) The music is outstanding
2) The Venue is gorgeous
3) You will have a good time
4) Pasadena is has wonderful weather in the summer
5) its FREEEEEEEE

What is there to NOT like about the Levitt Pavilion — ESPECIALLY when it comes to summer time? Free concerts in the park with great bands and musicians. Honestly… nothing to complain about! You can usually find seating fairly easily (just bring your lil blanket or chairs) since the park is rather big. Bring your lil picnic basket and you’re good to go.
The only time I had a really hard time finding seating or anywhere to STAND even was the Poncho Sanchez concert! m’Goodness! I mean, our bad for coming right on time (last minute decision), but whoa! For some of the bigger events, they’ll even have some food trucks, etc.
A great free thing to do with your friends … dance a little, sing with your friends, pull out a blanket and just enjoy good company.

Free summer concert series is what’s up in Old Town Pasadena!
An annual event, the LP brings free concerts to the community. You can’t get anything better and you’ll leave feeling like you gained a lot. Concerts are held every Wednesday through Sunday throughout the summer. Bring a blanket, pack a light dinner and enjoy the sights and sounds that they have to offer you at the park. As a community we have been privileged to hear from some amazing artists. Can’t wait for this summer’s line up!
Don’t forget to donate and support the performing arts!