Pasadena Convention Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pasadena Convention Center |
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Front entrance of Pasadena Civic Auditorium, part of the Pasadena Convention Center complex, in October 2016.
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| Location | Pasadena, California |
| Owner | City of Pasadena (operated by Pasadena Center Operating Company) |
| Built | 1931 |
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The Pasadena Convention Center is a large building complex in Pasadena, California. It is a special place where many different events are held. This big center is made up of three main buildings.
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Pasadena Civic Auditorium: A Famous Stage
The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is a very important part of the Convention Center. It was built a long time ago, in 1931. This building is famous for hosting many exciting shows and awards.
Home of Big Awards and Shows
From 1977 to 1997, the Civic Auditorium was the main home for the Emmy Awards. These awards celebrate the best in television. Today, it hosts the People's Choice Awards. These awards let fans choose their favorite movies, TV shows, and music.
The auditorium has also been used for some episodes of American Idol. It was the place for "Hollywood Week" in season 10. Many famous musicians have played here too.
Music and Performances
The auditorium has 3,029 seats. It is a great place for musicals, operas, and concerts. The stage is very large, measuring about 56 feet by 42 feet.
A special theatre organ was added to the Civic Auditorium in 1979. This organ was first used by Reginald Foort in 1938. It was even used by the BBC during and after World War II.
Historic Moments at the Auditorium
Many famous events have happened at the Civic Auditorium.
- The band Van Halen played some of their first live shows here.
- The Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special was filmed here in 1983. This is where Michael Jackson first showed his famous "Moonwalk" dance.
- Louis Armstrong's 1951 album Satchmo at Pasadena was recorded live at this venue.
- The Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant was held here. The show was broadcast live on TV.
Recent Events and Graduations
The Pasadena Civic Auditorium has hosted the Daytime Emmy Awards several times. It has also been the place for audition rounds of America's Got Talent since season 11. The NAACP Image Awards have also been held here many times.
Since 2011, local high schools use the auditorium for their graduation ceremonies. Students from Blair High School, John Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, John Muir High School, and Pasadena High School celebrate their graduation here.
Exhibition Building: Space for Events
The Exhibition Building is another part of the Convention Center. It has a large open space of about 31,200 square feet. This area can hold up to 4,400 people for different events. Next to it is a smaller annex building. This annex is about 15,000 square feet and can seat up to 600 people.
Conference Building: Meeting Spaces
The Conference Building is designed for meetings. It has 20 different meeting rooms. Together, these rooms offer about 28,000 square feet of space. This building is perfect for business meetings, workshops, and smaller gatherings.
