Cal Phil’s Festival On The Green At The Santa Anita Park

When the stars align, two major events occur at the Santa Anita Racetrack: the 626 Night Market and Cal Phil’s Festival on the Green. Despite their proximity, it’s hard to believe that these events could exist in the same universe, as the two events could not be more different. While the former is overcrowded and unruly, the latter is relatively low-​key and calm. Thus, if you’re looking for a fun experience but not enthused about battling pushy people and lengthy lines, I’d highly recommend checking out Cal Phil’s Festival on the Green.
Since this is THE Cal Philharmonic Orchestra, the excellence of the music is indisputable. But, the selection of pieces could probably have been improved to better fit the advertised theme. For a concert entitled «Lights, Camera, Action,» I expected more music from iconic movies, as we only heard one piece from Hercules, Jurassic Park, Lawrence of Arabia, Psycho, and Star Wars. Other selections, such as Korngold’s Violin Concerto and Shostakovich’s Symphony #5, were beautiful, but were less engaging given their disconnect from the night’s theme. (The programs for the other concerts in the series seemed to feature a mix of pieces as well, but I can imagine that the musical /​pop-​oriented concerts allow for more crowd participation.)
The setup of the venue is pretty straightforward: closest to the stage are tables; behind the tables are rows of benches; and further back is the eponymous green. While you could score seats closer to the stage, I’d recommend choosing the cheaper lawn seats, as this is the perfect spot to have a boozy picnic with friends before the concert. Just don’t forget the corkscrew! Although lawn chairs are helpful, they are certainly not needed as long as you bring blankets or towels to sit on. There is a slight berm along the edges of the venue, so if you want to be elevated /​avoid having someone stick their chair right in front of you, then arrive early to stake your spot! We arrived at approximately 6PM and most of the elevated lawn spots had already been claimed. Tickets can be purchased online via Cal Phil or Goldstar.
If you choose to purchase food at the venue, you do have several options in the form of food trucks serving ice cream, sliders, and Cajun fare. Obviously, this can’t compete with the fare you’d find at the Night Market. And, if you don’t bring enough libations, there is a bar that sells various forms of booze, including entire bottles of wine.
There is ample parking is available through Gate 6. It costs $ 15 per car, so it’s definitely worth it to carpool. You probably could walk over from somewhere with free parking, but it would certainly take you awhile, especially if you have lots of stuff to carry.
Definitely check out Cal Phil’s Festival on the Green if you’re interested in a fun experience with family and friends. Even if the music isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll have fun being outdoors and picnicking in good company!

I attended in 2012 and was very disappointed and hammered it in a Unilocal review. I returned hesitantly July 25, 2015 with some comped tickets. Wow, what a difference! The orchestra was very good as before but a 100% improvement by the solo vocalists and Chorale (and Vener). This night was music primarily from Phantom and Les Miserables. The Choral was very strong and united in voice and were featured on a few pieces by themselves. An excellent choice of music made me wanting more from the Chorale. The featured soloists were outstanding and blended well. Overall it was an enjoyable and memorable evening. Next time I will actually pay for tickets!

Maestro Vener is wickily humorous and talented! We enjoyed both shows and will come back next season for sure!

If i could i would give them no stars. I attended one of their events at Santa Anita Race Track titled Rodgers, Hammerstein & More. First off let me tell you it is not worth your time or money. For 30 minutes of the show the engaged couple and singers Soprano Jennifer Paz and the Barotine Anthony Fedorov basically complained about how they had a kid before they got married and self promoted their songs and youtube video. Saying please buy our stuff we had a kid and we need money. There was not a mention of this waste of time in the program, nor online. (See picture) Well i admit the financeé had a good voice the guy did not. They also promoted their personal views when they sang a religious song not mentioned either, many people left during this time. The venue itself was nice and the sound system was excellent but it was wasted by them. The info booth as well was no help at all in regards to assisting the elderly get into the golf transportation and many people complained and were frustrated because they needed it, who could blame them, it should of really just been called a pamphlet booth. Overall the theme was inconsistent and this was a missed opportunity for the orchestra.

Loving the outdoor vibe, always used to going to concert halls for these events so this was something different. Victor Vener is amazing! They play a variety of movie scores, play scores, the classics, etc.
Everything is just a delight, weather, seating, atmosphere, melody, a Saturday well spent. Rediscovered my appreciation for music that’s for sure!
Bring a mat, pop a bottle of wine, some crackers, a blanket to make it cozy (because it can get chilly), relax and enjoy listening to the symphony while laying under the stars. If you don’t find this memorable and romantic I don’t know what is!
Looking forward to Phantom/​Les Miz and Lights Camera Action movements!

I’ve been to this event two years in a row now. This past Saturday I was here for Broadway and Bolero and last year for the Beach Boys and Beatles. I must say that I love that LA has so many of these outdoor events during the summer… These events really enable us to enjoy California to the fullest.
Cal Phil is wonderful. I love that the venue (Santa Anita Race Tracks) has a very large area of open green grass. You are able to find a comfortable spot on the grass with enough space between the other parties. It makes the picnic experience so much better. They have seats in the front for those that prefer that but my friends and I always get the cheap seats in the back which is pretty much bring your own seats or go picnic style like us. They have a restaurant/​eatery place on site but we’ve never tried it since we always bring our own food. The music is great… We love singing along to the songs we know. Also amazingly you can see the stars at night. It is actually pretty cool. My friends and I saw 2 shooting stars this past weekend… Don’t forget to make a wish! :) Oh and let’s not forget the awesome kids from the neighboring schools who offer to help carry your luggage… It definitely helps if you are in need of assistance since the walk from the parking lot to the stage can be quite a bit of a walk for some. The kids should get more extra credit or volunteer hours for this! Yay kids!
Definitely check out Cal Phil if you haven’t done so!
PS. Parking is $ 15 on site!

FANTASTIC evening and venue. This was just a load of fun, and so much better than the over crowded Hollywood Bowl. The conductor was a hoot, and the music WONDERFUL! Take a picnic and enjoy the evening. Would do this again in a heartbeat!

Do you want an evening with your family that’s memorable, and that becomes a custom worth repeating, generation after generation?
Then do these concerts at Santa Anita.
There’s all sorts of stuff for kids and grown ups.
The best part?
Victor Vener is a true showman and his love of music spreads to everyone!
I can’t recommend this highly enough!

My partner and I love these events. Such a great venue for a saturday evening. Be sure to bring your own picnic and wine. Parking will cost $ 15 and its a little walk to the stage. I love the bread pudding they offer during Intermission. The concerts are always really fun and the conductor has a great sense of humor and creates and Fun and amazing performance. Would recommend these events to everyone.

This is a good alternative to the very busy Hollywood Bowl. Both venues have top notch musicians, but this one is a little more intimate. Sometimes a little too intimate as one concert had some lady in the audience shouting out «I LOVE YOU VICTOR!!!» when the director was speaking at the beginning. Anybody who wants to listen to good orchestral music without the stuffiness of a concert hall should attend one of these this Summer. I believe they moved from the Arboretum because another orchestra snagged a contract there, but that portable shell makes either location adequate (if you want top quality acoustics, go to the WDCH and let the fun people enjoy the outdoor shows).

I would give it 3.5 to be specific…
I’m not sure why they moved it to Santa Anita park… but I think it felt more elegant at the Arboretum. Anyways, it’s definitely smaller here. Even the lawn seats are not all that far back. My group had a table that was on the side, which was nice because we could lay out a picnic and our seats were higher up so no one to block our view. I must say though, the nice thing on over at Santa Anita is that you can see the mountains much better. It’s a very nice view. No peacocks yelling… which I kinda missed because that was very amusing! There’s also wasn’t a coffee truck over here. I remembered one when it was at The Arboretum.
The music was Les Mis and Bernstein. Oh how I miss playing the violin. The music sounded great. I think the Les Miz half was much better with the singers. All the signers I thought were great… except for the younger girl that sang the Cosette, I wasn’t feeling her too much.
I think it sucks that parking is $ 15… kinda pricey. When it was at the Arboretum, you could park at the mall for free and walk over across the street. There is no way to walk in at Santa Anita Racetrack… unless you want to walk really really far– it’s just not practical.
I would come here again. It’s definitely a nice evening out, whether it be with friends or a special someone. It’s just nice to be outdoors and listening to amazing music.

Great outdoor concert venue with a view of the mountains. There’s a large grass area where you can sit at a table or bring your own chairs and blankets and even tents! Sat at one of the tables and was pleasantly surprised by how many people brought real glasses, plates and utensils! It really made it a nice experience. And of course the music was great!

Had a great time as usual. Music was great as was the venue. we’ve been season ticket holders for 5 years now and enjoy the Santa Anita venue more than the Arboretum.

The venue was great. We tried to get around paying $ 15 for parking but it’s pretty much impossible to do. You can only get into the park from the main entrance. We got there around 7PM and there was plenty of space in the parking lot and on the grass for our picnic. They didn’t check our bags or anything, either. The opera music was great. The Broadway stuff wasn’t as good because the singers are classically-​trained so it sounds a little silly. Overall, it was a beautiful setting and definitely worth checking out. Bring a blanket!

Everything was perfect: music, green, sky and the volunteers.
Last night our 8 church members attended the concert. The table was set of 10 with the green table clothes. We brought some korean food, candle lights and flowers. There were different facades with the different ethnic groups. They brought their own food and culture to enjoy music. But we were one under the starry night and a mellow music.
It was opera night: Webber and Puccini. I liked chorus and singers in particular. they were superb. However, something was not going well, Mr. Vener, the conductor, talked too much. We want music not talking. sorry.
About 200 volunteers ganged from local high school students were very helpful. They guided us well and carried our carriages.
Also, we were very thankful for the tram. One of our members were disable and easy to ride from entrance to the table.
We enjoyed the nice music with our neighbors and affordable price.

Outdoor on the grass, temperature about 80 and the night sky is clear. Listening to singers, choral groups and a very talented orchestra perform Andrew Lloyd Webber meets Puccini. Movie scores, play scores and opera all in one evening. The sound system was good and the lighting was well done. One projection screen showed multiple views from the many cameras on stage. Parking is easy and the departure from the lot is easy. Great food and bar. Overall, a fine example of the arts in SoCal.
Admittedly, this is a scaled-​down version of the Hollywood Bowl experience, but not very scaled down on price with good seats at the A, B and C tables going for $ 90 – 120 each and parking at $ 14. Still, 4 – 5000 people show up every two weeks during summer.
Last night’s performance was underwritten by Smith Brothers Restaurants in Pasadena
Current Developments in the Financial picture.
The orchestra and management ratified a two-​year Agreement in June of 2013, including an increase in wages. Performance scale increased from $ 139 to $ 142 in the first year, and from $ 142 to $ 145 in the second year. Rehearsal scale went from $ 114 to $ 116 in the first year, to $ 116 to $ 119 in the second year. Health & Welfare contributions also went from 7% to 8% for the duration of the agreement.
The orchestra suffered a massive meltdown in the 2012 season, finishing the year owing musicians over $ 120,000 for three unpaid concerts; management also reneged on their obligations to make payments to the Health and Welfare Fund and the Pension Fund. After a protracted legal fight, including grievances and filings with the National Labor Relations Board, an agreement was reached in May that made all payments owed to the musicians, including late payment penalties, H &W and Pension Fund payments and work dues.

I attended California Philharmonic’s series at the Arboretum and really enjoyed them – not so much when the concerts moved to Santa Anita Racetrack. Unless you want to walk a very LONG way, you have to fork over $ 15 to park. $ 15… REALLY? Regular parking at the racetrack is $ 4, and valet is $ 10!
Once we got to Will Call, where the poor volunteers were struggling to see with flashlights and the lights from their cell phones, we still had to make the very long trek to our seats. Definitely not worth the trouble, particularly when the concert itself was interrupted by an overly enthusiastic pitch to purchase season tickets for next year’s series. I even emailed the Cal. Phil. people twice to politely express my thoughts/​dissatisfaction about the site/​parking fee, and they didn’t even bother to reply.
My suggestion for summer entertainment? Skip the Cal. Phil. and go to the free Shakespeare in Griffith Park: HUGELY enjoyable for ALL ages, free parking, and lots of room to picnic. And it’s FREE!

We attended a Cal Phil concert last summer at their new venue, and it was lovely. (Well, except for the table of drunken morons behind us who were talking throughout the entire concert, it was lovely.)
I certainly hope that Victor Vener & Co. are able to get their finances in order…
Their musicians are not being paid, and the Cal Phil still owes money to the Arboretum from the 2011 season.
What will save them… Deus ex machina?

LOVED IT. Such a beautiful evening and amazing performance. Victor Vener is almost a caricature of himself… and I totally mean that as a compliment. Watching Victor was like watching a cartoon of a Maestro. He was so entertaining, passionate, funny, and likable. The music was phenomenal. We were lucky enough to score some sweet tickets via a friend. We had a table in the C section for the last night of Cal Phil concerts in 2012 featuring the music of Beethoven and John Williams.
Amongst the program of approximately a dozen pieces were the Superman March, Star Wars suite (including my favorite — Darth Vader’s theme,) Raider’s March from Raider’s of the Lost Ark, and a beautifully performed finale of Beethovens Ode to Joy, followed by a little something off the program… an audience sing-​a-​long of «We Are The Champions» by Queen. AMAZING!
The program itself deserves 5 stars but I deducted a star due to the $ 15 per car parking charge (highway robbery) and the absolutely horrible service from the Boar’s Java House truck. (During intermission I went to grab a friend some hot tea. I spent the entirety of the intermission in line and then missed another 30 minutes of the program waiting even longer for them to take my order and get me my tea and mocha… and the mocha tasted disgusting.) These things made my experience less pleasant but overall I was extremely impressed and very much hope to make it to next years Festival On The Green.

I am sorry to say that I have a mixed review of the California Philharmonic’s Festival on the Green. While their relocation this season to the Santa Anita Park in the race track infield was a lovely venue, the performance itself was somewhat disappointing. We attended this past weekend for the «Carmen on Broadway» performance and were saddened to hear great Broadway songs butchered and the choice of pieces used for what was to be a «Broadway» style program, when in fact, this was for all intents and purposes an «Opera» concert.
The first half was just pieces from Carmen with okay opera singers, and it was nice, but the second half where we started to expect some Broadway performances really fell flat. All of the singing in the second half was performed in an operatic singing style by the same singers as the first half, which took away from the songs, and you could only hear the opera singers and not much of the orchestra. They really did «Can You Feel the Love Tonight» from the Lion King a disservice not only in the over the top opera style of the singing, but in the poor musical arraignment. They had the full choir and didn’t even use them to back up what is mostly vocal song with little musical accompaniment, and the musical accompaniment, when you could hear it, was an unusual scoring. I think that the choices for the program didn’t fit with the theme, and the only somewhat lucid speaking by Maestro Vener took away from the flow of the show and was so unrehearsed.
This experience won’t keep us from trying it out again, but we were somewhat disappointed in the actual performance. The venue is great, we had never been into the infield of the race track for anything and they had it set up great. The stage was easy to see, and the way that they have the seating set up is great. We just got bench seats and didn’t come too early, or bring a picnic, but next year we will be sure to get lawn seats and bring a picnic to enjoy before the show. 5 stars to the organization and to the venue, but only 2 stars for the performance. I really was longing to get more of the orchestra sound and not so much a opera concert.