The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at The Maxwell House on South Grand Avenue.
Twenty-seven single-family homeowners will be recognized for front-yard gardens, the foundation said. The 27 winners — three from each of nine city areas — will be drawn from 54 semifinalists, with volunteer scouts having walked residential streets from March 2 through April 10.
Judging weighs curb appeal, harmony between house and garden, and evidence of pride of ownership and investment in the front yard. Homes obscured by hedges or otherwise not visible from the street are ineligible, and Golden Arrow winners from the previous five years cannot win again.
The 2026 return follows the foundation’s unanimous board decision last year to cancel the ceremony following the Eaton Fire. The foundation’s Golden Arrow Awards page says the board redirected program funds to the Eaton Fire Relief and Recovery Fund set up by the Pasadena Community Foundation.The foundation donated $2,500 to that fund.
“Given the tragic aftermath of the fires, we all felt that our money was better spent helping those who lost their homes,” Pasadena Beautiful President Sara Edwards said at the time.
The Golden Arrow Awards date back to the 1960’s. Pasadena Beautiful was itself was founded in 1960. The nonprofit is staffed entirely by volunteers and works to preserve and protect the city’s street tree canopy, fund and revitalize public gardens, and promote understanding of the natural environment’s importance to quality of life.
Chuck Livingstone is serving as the 2026 Golden Arrow Award chairman.
The foundation said winners will be announced at the ceremony, with recipients receiving a certificate and a golden arrow sign to display on their property.
For more visit https://www.pasadenabeautiful.
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