By Julie BUTCHER

The La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Community Association kicked off its 45th Memorial Weekend Fiesta Days celebration on Friday evening with its annual Casino Night held at the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge. Community members came out to try their luck at the tables while hobnobbing with friends and neighbors.

On Saturday morning it was time to head to Memorial Park for a community breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada La Crescenta. Kiwanis Club president Chris Ecker manned the griddle serving up French toast and all the fixings as hundreds lined up to eat.

“We’re raising money to help the children,” Ecker explained over the grill. “How many people do we expect to feed today, Martha?” he yelled the question to Kiwanis treasurer Martha Burns, who was busy collecting money and selling breakfast tickets.

“A lot,” she yelled back with a hearty laugh. “And I think they’re all here already!”

The popular breakfast featured music by local band Misplaced Priorities and a free vintage car show featuring vehicular beauties spanning the decades.

Leah Woods of La Cañada rode to the show with her father Brad in his 1968 classic Mercedes, although she prefers “the old Caddies, the ones that are a couple of hundred yards long.” Brad Woods said that they attend this event every year.

“It’s great! We just roll down the hill and we’re here. Plus, it is a wonderful way to remember the purpose of the holiday. It’s important to remember.”

The entire Memorial Day weekend was jam-packed with events commemorating the holiday including a farmers market, the LCF Tournament of Roses Association’s open house, and an evening showing of the movie “Coco” on Saturday; then on Sunday, the Lanterman House Summer Whites Picnic & Ukulele Rendezvous during the day and a family dinner, music and fireworks show on Sunday night in Memorial Park; wrapping up on Memorial Day Monday with the YMCA of the Foothills’ “Fiesta Days Family Run/Walk” at Descanso Gardens in the early morning, a memorial service and annual parade, families, food, and music in Memorial Park in the afternoon and, into the evening, ending with the musical group, Captain Cardiac and Coronaries. Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries kicked off the Music in the Park series at Memorial Park. The rock and roll party band has been a mainstay of Music in the Park for years and is a crowd favorite. Their performances of classic rock and roll tunes dating back to the ’50s and ’60s had audience members of all ages on their feet, swinging, dipping and jumping to tunes like “Mustang Sally” and “Born to be Wild.”

Music in the Park continues through the summer with shows beginning at 6 p.m. It’s free to attend.

Photos by Julie BUTCHER, Robin GOLDSWORTHY and Ed HAMILTON

  Ed HAMILTON, Julie BUTCHER, robin goldsworthy