If you were up early to catch the 129th annual Tournament of Roses parade, you might have seen an ad with the save the date for the return of a music festival to Pasadena.
And unlike Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon’s Cord & Tish commentary on Amazon Prime, this wasn’t a joke.
Arroyo Seco Weekend, which made its debut on the grounds surrounding the Rose Bowl in 2017, will return June 23 and 24 for its second year.
The festival, put on by Goldenvoice, which also helms events such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival, launched Arroyo Seco with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mumford and Sons at the top of the bill.
Unlike those destination festivals, Arroyo Seco was aimed at the locals who could spend the night in their own beds after being able to catch entire sets from artists rather than rushing from stage to stage. It had a feel that was more like a street fair, but with a population the size of a small city.
Related: Arroyo Seco Weekend isn’t a stress-tival, it’s all about chilling out to summer jams
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![Aaron Alferos and Susie Luong dance to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
Aaron Alferos and Susie Luong dance to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra performs during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra performs during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform during the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![An Armory Center for the Arts installation at the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
An Armory Center for the Arts installation at the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![Weezer performs during Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Sunday, June 25, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)]()
Weezer performs during Arroyo Seco Weekend festival on Sunday, June 25, 2017 in Pasadena. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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![Alabama Shakes perform during Arroyo Seco Weekend at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday, June 24, 2017. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)]()
Alabama Shakes perform during Arroyo Seco Weekend at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday, June 24, 2017. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
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![Jessie Bobbe, 23, of Winchester, left, and Alex Lower, 24, of Cincinnati, kill time before Jade Jackson perform at The Oaks stage during Arroyo Seco Weekend at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday, June 24, 2017. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)]()
Jessie Bobbe, 23, of Winchester, left, and Alex Lower, 24, of Cincinnati, kill time before Jade Jackson perform at The Oaks stage during Arroyo Seco Weekend at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday, June 24, 2017. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
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Set on the grounds outside of the Rose Bowl, at the Brookside Golf Course among grass and large sycamore trees, Arroyo Seco had two large open air stages as well as a more intimate stage in a tent that hosted a number of jazz performances, including a memorable set from Jeff Goldblum that included trivia about the actor.
Related: The good, bad and the weird of Arroyo Seco Weekend
While a number of festivals have been stepping up their food game, Arroyo Seco had more than 30 percent of its food outposts from Pasadena restaurants, including Union, whose chef and owner Bruce Kalman is currently competing on reality show “Top Chef.”
The festival’s social media channels posted about the return as did the event’s website, but offered only the dates for the 2018 festival. However, you can sign up for an email newsletter via the Arroyo Seco Weekend website for more information in the future.
Save the date 🌳 Summer can’t come soon enough pic.twitter.com/WbdnLGhmmx
— Arroyo Seco Weekend (@arroyosecowknd) January 1, 2018