July 18, 2003
CONTACT: 
Dave Sotero/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-3007/922-2700 www.mta.net/press/pressroom
e-mail: mediarelations@metro.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MTA Announces Metro Gold Line Opening Weekend Festivities

• Seven Metro Rail stations to feature community activities, food and entertainment

MTA will celebrate the opening of the Metro Gold Line with fun-filled family events at seven Metro Gold Line rail stations Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27.

Rides on the Metro Gold Line opening weekend will be free, and entertainment, community booths, refreshments and food are just some of the activities planned at the stations.

Visitors are encouraged to use public transit to get to the various events, as parking will be very limited during opening weekend.

Saturday, July 26, community events will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 27, station community events will take place between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Here is a list of stations where events are planned and a preview of daylong festivities:

Union Station
(East Portal Foyer, 810 North Vignes Street, Los Angeles)
Food, Tropical Punch Band, karaoke, L.A. Dodgers batting cages, civic, business and community booths.

Chinatown Station
(901 North Spring Street, Los Angeles)
Chinese singers and dancers, fashion and puppet shows, martial arts demonstrations, musical performances, acrobats, farmer's market.

Heritage Square/Arroyo Station
(3545 Pasadena Avenue, Los Angeles)
DJ, trackless train rides for kids, petting zoo, balloon artists, face painters, clowns, rock climbing, high school band, local musical groups and mariachis, folklorico dancing.

Historic Highland Park Station
(151 North Avenue 57, Los Angeles)
Latino Grammy award-winning band "Quetzal", local all-female rock bands, Metro Experience mobile safety theater, clowns, live radio remotes, karaoke contest, local artisans, free health screenings, free admission to Southwest Museum, traffic safety rodeo, Kid's Space.

Mission Street Station
(905 Meridian Avenue, South Pasadena)
Horse drawn trolleys, vintage auto show, children's pony rides and coloring activities, model railroad display, local restaurant food samples, community booths, portrait photographer, Dixieland and Swing bands, square dancers.

Memorial Park Station
(125 East Holly Street, Pasadena)
"El Chicano" band, jazz combo, 17-piece orchestra, face painters, mimes, clowns, Old Pasadena merchant booths.

Sierra Madre Villa Station
(149 N. Halstead at Colorado Boulevard/Foothill Boulevard))
Local restaurant food and drink samples, banjo players, guitarists, fiddlers, artists and entertainment, Sierra Madre and Pasadena cultural interest booths.

For specific route information check out MTA's trip planner at www.mta.net or call 1-800-C-O-M-M-U-T-E.

MTA-118

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