Block off May 1st and 2nd to attend the LitFest in the Dena, one of many projects by Light Bringer, Pasadena’s legendary nonprofit arts organization that hosts a variety of activities each year. One of the many things I love about Pasadena and Altadena is the Light Bringer Project, which, year after year, provides outlets for artists and art lovers alike. One of my most memorable Light Bringer experiences was the 2008 Pasadena DooDah Parade. If you haven’t yet been an observer or participant, please add the DooDah Parade to your bucket list.
After proposing in 2007 and then hearing about my first wedding, which was quite the production, my current, third, best, and last husband said, “I want a special wedding, too.” That, my friends, was a challenge I had to accept.
“How about getting married in the DooDah Parade?” New to the San Gabriel Valley, Ken asked, “What’s that?” I said, “You kind of need to see it to understand it, but basically it’s a decades-old, wacky alternative to the heavily funded, largely corporate Tournament of Roses Parade. Unlike the Rose Parade, which is always held on the first Monday of the New Year, the DooDah is haphazard and willy-nilly in its scheduling. It might be before Thanksgiving or sometime in January.”
“You want to have our wedding in a hippie-dippie parade? No, thanks.” I pouted for 5 seconds, then pivoted and said, “How about we have our wedding shower in the parade?” He loved the idea and immediately got on board, so we sent out a massive email to all our friends announcing the event and saying, “Please, no gifts: we just want donations to help fund our Beauty Bites Beast documentary.”
Lo and behold, we soon had dozens of volunteers! Our friend Leigh Adams let us set up a “shower” in the back of her pickup truck. I wore a wedding dress I bought at Goodwill, and Ken wore his tux; we rigged a fake showerhead with a shimmer effect to make it look like water was raining down on Ken’s and my heads as we rolled down the parade route. Our shower “guests” ranged from wearing nothing but bathrobes with flesh-colored leotards underneath, so they could flash parade viewers as we marched along Colorado Blvd, to our friends who wore “gift boxes.”
Our late friend Jon Charles was out in front, leading the whole crazy brigade while playing The Dixie Cups’ immortal hit “Chapel of Love (Goin’ To The Chapel)” on a glockenspiel. He wore a shower cap, of course. The truck was also outfitted with a 400-watt sound system blasting “Chapel Of Love” to the tens of thousands of people lining the parade route; our Bathrobe Flashers also used the music in concert with choreography that they’d worked out in advance. We were later told that, in the decades of outrageous parade units in the DooDah Parade, no one had ever attempted — or pulled off — what we did that day.
Returning to 2026, Light Bringer is once again presenting “Lit Fest in the Dena,” an annual celebration of the literary arts. Each year has a theme, and this year’s is “Books That Changed The Public Narrative.” I’ll be on a panel titled “Gee, I Can’t Wait To Age… Said No One, Ever.” We’ll discuss ageism and the underrepresentation of older women in American entertainment, especially in novels.
It’s no secret that our society worships youth, and that preference shows up in our literature and entertainment. The irony, of course, is that the time to tackle ageism is when you’re young. If you wait until you’re old to object, it’s too late. Why? Because our culture, for the most part, doesn’t want to listen to older adults.
The U.K. is much better at including older people in its scripted shows and films, especially in lead roles. Although American TV has improved, it still has a long way to go to catch up with our English, Irish, and Scottish counterparts. Ken and I especially loved “Down Cemetery Road,” starring Emma Thompson in a thrilling whodunit. And then there’s “Call the Midwife,” which features actors across the age spectrum. The BBC regularly features shows that reflect the population’s demographics… imagine that!
Even though we don’t think of TV as literature, it actually is, because TV starts with the writers! Many writers in the US are afraid to write for older characters because it’s harder to sell to millennial producers. A glaring exception right now is “Matlock” on CBS, starring Kathy Bates, who shines as the titular character in a twisty reimagining of the original show.
If you’re a reader and you’d like to geek out about writers, from poets to historical novelists and everything in between, go to the Litfest site to check out the Friday and Saturday schedules. My panel will be on Saturday, May 2, at 11:30 a.m. in the East Hall of the Pasadena Presbyterian Church at 585 E. Colorado Blvd.
I love the Light Bringer Project! Visit them to see their veritable smorgasbord of family-friendly, delightful events. The next event after LitFest is the Pasadena Chalk Festival on June 20th, where “hundreds of artists can create large, colorful chalk murals in a wide variety of styles and subject matter. They range in both style and content, including funny or whimsical illustrations, portraits of people, recreations of masterpieces, incredible original designs, adorable characters, moving tributes, powerful statements, and just plain jaw-dropping art.” I’m going because I couldn’t draw my way out of a paper bag of chalk. Knowing that these artistic endeavors are not permanent enhances the mind-blowing nature of the viewing.
Thank you, Light Bringer Project, for all you do. We don’t take you for granted.
If you’re interested in Ellen Snortland’s online creative writing class, send an email. Also, there is still a much-needed GoFundMe to help Ellen and Ken recover from the devastating loss of their home and possessions. You can donate here.