By Julie BUTCHER

On Saturday, the City of Glendale celebrated the 75th anniversary of city hall in coordination with the Glendale Police Dept.’s annual open house and hosted a block party for the people and families of Glendale to enjoy.

In the area between Glendale City Hall and the police headquarters, organizations set up entertaining and educational booths demonstrating recycling and composting tips, trails and open space, police and fire vehicles, the wonders of the new downtown library and more. Kids particularly loved the climbing wall, the helicopter and the fire trucks. The event also featured balloons, popcorn, a giant birthday card to sign and live music from the 1940s-themed singing group, the Beverly Belles.

Across the street, people streamed into the police headquarters to meet police officers and detectives, to view historic photos and gear displayed by the Glendale Police Foundation that demonstrates police work across the decades. The most popular stops for the kids were the face-painting and (temporary) “glitter” tattooing booths. Outside, families lined up to pet one of Glendale’s three police dogs (including a drug-sniffing Spaniel named Peetie) and to hop on a firetruck for pictures with popular firefighters.

State Senator Anthony Portantino was also on hand and joined the celebration.

“Glendale has always been a destination for families working for a piece of the American Dream,” said Portantino. “Its quality-of-life represents the best that Southern California has to offer. It’s an old city, yet its vibrancy continues to grow.”

Glendale is the third largest city in Los Angeles County, the 23rd largest in California. Registered as the “Town of Glendale” in 1887, incorporated as a city in 1906, the City Hall honored at the corner of Broadway and Isabel streets opened its doors in 1942.

  Julie BUTCHER