"It's been 11 years since CicLAvia held a Pasadena event, and we are thrilled to be returning," CicLAvia Executive Director Romel Pascual said in the City of Pasadena's announcement. He tied the date to two anniversaries: Colorado Boulevard's 150th and the centennial of Route 66, which runs along it.
On Sunday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the boulevard closes to cars and opens to anyone walking, biking, skating or rolling. The official numbers are 2.7 miles over six hours. The plan behind them covers more ground and runs longer. Parking restrictions begin five hours before the first bike rolls. Pop-up bike lanes reach a few blocks from the Rose Bowl and out toward Lamanda Park. Every part of the route sits within walking distance of an A Line station. Planning for this Sunday starts at the edges of the map and at 4 a.m.
The day runs from 4 a.m. to about 5 p.m.
The event is six hours long, but the street changes run from before dawn to late afternoon. Here is the sequence the City and CicLAvia have published, as of mid-October:
- 4 a.m. No parking along the car-free route or the Slow Streets. Towing is enforced, and no-parking signs go up in advance.
- 6 a.m. Streets near the two activity hubs may close this early.
- 7 a.m. The main route closes to cars. Driveways that open directly onto it are blocked, and delivery drivers may not drive or park on it.
- 9 a.m. The event opens. There is no start or finish line, and you can join or leave anywhere along the route.
- 3 p.m. Programming ends. It is also the deadline to pick up a towed car at the Pasadena Police Department, 207 Garfield Ave., before it may be impounded.
- About 5 p.m. The route reopens to cars, and the parking ban lifts.
Cars can cross the route at six intersections. CicLAvia marks them on its official route map, and that map is the one to check before planning a Sunday drive across town.
For people who live or work directly on the route, Pasadena Now reported that CicLAvia may reimburse parking costs of up to $20 per vehicle. The costs must fall between 8 p.m. on November 14 and 5 p.m. on November 15, and receipts are due within 30 days. If your garage opens onto Colorado or Raymond, Saturday night is the time to move the car.
The car-free miles are only part of the map
The car-free route runs along Colorado Boulevard from Pasadena Avenue to Allen Avenue, plus Raymond Avenue from Pacific Alley to East Dayton Street. The City describes it as one corridor through Old Pasadena, Playhouse Village and South Lake Avenue.
The City is also adding two one-mile "Slow Streets." These are temporary bike lanes separated from traffic by cones and signs.
- West: Walnut Avenue from Raymond Avenue to Orange Grove Boulevard, continuing to Rosemont Avenue a few blocks from the Rose Bowl.
- East: Colorado Boulevard from Allen Avenue to San Gabriel Boulevard, linking East Colorado to the Lamanda Park neighborhood.
Cars still use the Slow Streets, but parking there is restricted on the same 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule as the main route. CicLAvia sums up the footprint as nearly 3 miles of open streets plus 2 miles of pop-up bike lanes. A household near Rosemont or San Gabriel Boulevard that would never think of itself as living on the route may still find a no-parking sign on the curb that morning.
The 2015 event was laid out differently. The Los Angeles Times called it the first CicLAvia held outside Los Angeles.
| May 31, 2015 | November 15, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Car-free length | 3.5 miles | 2.7 miles |
| Colorado Blvd segment | To Bonnie Avenue on the east; reports give Fair Oaks or Pasadena Avenue as the west end | Pasadena Avenue to Allen Avenue |
| Side routes | Car-free spurs on Raymond and Lake toward parks | Raymond to East Dayton, plus Slow Streets on Walnut and East Colorado |
| Activity hubs | Not specified in coverage | Memorial Park and 1778 E. Colorado Blvd. |
The 2026 car-free route is shorter than 2015's, and the Lake Avenue spur is gone. Its reach now comes from the bike-lane spurs, which stay open to cars, so CicLAvia can stretch the map across town without closing more of it.
The plan starts at the train stations
In 2015, Metro counted a 32% jump in Gold Line boardings on CicLAvia day. That line is now the A Line. This year Metro is a partial funder, and the City's announcement highlights how the route connects to the Memorial Park and Del Mar stations.
CicLAvia lists these walking distances from A Line stations to the route:
- Memorial Park and Del Mar: under 0.1 mile each
- Lake and Allen: 0.4 mile each
- Fillmore: 0.8 mile
The west hub sits right at a station. The Memorial Park Hub, at 145 N. Raymond Ave., is next to the stop of the same name. The Colorado Hub is at 1778 E. Colorado Blvd., at Allen Avenue, where the eastern Slow Street begins. According to CicLAvia's activities page, both hubs offer water refills, ADA-compliant restrooms, first aid, basic bike repair, bike parking and free pedicab rides on a first-come basis from the information booths.
CicLAvia has not posted bus detours, and the hub activity schedule was still empty as of mid-October. Check both on the event page closer to the day.
The route is limited to people-powered travel, with set exceptions for e-bikes and wheelchairs. Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed. Class 2 e-bikes are allowed with the throttle off, and Class 3 e-bikes with pedal-assist off. Electric scooters, electric skateboards and hoverboards are not allowed. Manual and motorized wheelchairs are welcome.
What the businesses along the route have planned
CicLAvia asked businesses on the route to stay open, move activities outdoors and post event-day specials. Pasadena Now reported that the Old Pasadena Management District and the Playhouse Village Association have expressed support. As of late September, the event page listed these offers:
- The Bar Method Pasadena: a free class pass
- Bokãos Aveda: free consultations and styling on the sidewalk, 15% off at their table, and a drawing for an extensions transformation
- Carbon Health: water, Liquid I.V., first aid supplies and priority walk-in care
- Jenette Bras: $50 gift certificates for the first 10 attendees and 15% off sports garments
- Strong Sports Gym: store open, with mini lessons at the gym
- Tea Spots: 10% off for Pasadena residents
Treat this as an early list. Businesses on the route have until Thursday, November 12, to submit CicLAvia's Business Participation Form and get a free spot on its interactive map, subject to approval. Pasadena Now's report also cited a UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs study of a 2013 CicLAvia on Wilshire Boulevard. Businesses along that route saw a 10% sales increase on event day, and 57% among businesses that engaged participants directly. That study covered Wilshire, not Pasadena.
LAist plans a booth at the Memorial Park Hub with giveaways and listener meetups. The event sponsors include AARP Los Angeles, Huntington Health, LA Care Health Plan, LA Phil, National University, Serve Robotics and Street Food Cinema.
The weekend has one more event. The Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair returns to Central Park, 275 S. Raymond Ave., on November 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its page includes a "Sunday with CicLAvia" note. On Sunday, the fair is open for five of CicLAvia's six hours. The fair is free, with more than 200 artisans.
The route passes through the Playhouse District, home to Uptown Luxury Condos at 139 S Oak Knoll Ave. Seeing the district without traffic is one way to judge it. A weekday visit, with the boulevard back to normal, is the other. To see both, Shahe Seuylemezian of RE/MAX Dream Properties can arrange a visit for the week after CicLAvia. Schedule a private tour.
