Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How an Arcadia nonprofit is backing retired racehorses in 2026
You won't want to miss Dave & Buster's Family Friendly Early NYE Party! on the Arcadia Patch calendar
Good morning Arcadia! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How an Arcadia nonprofit is backing retired racehorses in 2026
- Meet the Arcadia teens leading this year’s Rose Parade royalty.
- See how Arcadia’s Apache band lit up Bandfest before the Parade
Also on today's calendar: Dave & Buster's Family Friendly Early NYE Party! and 8 more events.
Find out what's happening in Arcadiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Arcadiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Wednesday: Periods of rain, with a high of 66 and low of 57 degrees.
- Thursday: Heavy rain and a thunderstorm, temps: high: 64, low: 53.
- Friday: Cloudy with showers around, with a high of 66 and low of 56 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. CARMA To Continue Messineo Makeover Scholarship In 2026 (paulickreport.com) — Arcadia-based nonprofit CARMA will continue its Messineo Makeover Scholarship in 2026, helping West Coast participants afford competing at the national Thoroughbred Makeover. The program supports retired racehorses transitioning into second careers and benefits graduates of CARMA’s Placement Program. Details on eligibility and applications will be released later in 2025. 
2. Rose Parade 2026: Meet this year's Rose Queen and Court (sgvtribune.com) — Arcadia is proudly represented in the 2026 Rose Parade, with Arcadia High School senior Serena Guo crowned Rose Queen and volunteering at the Arcadia Public Library. Another Arcadia High student, Sophia Ren, leads the Arcadia Civic Youth Council and local journalism while balancing music, advocacy, and regional youth orchestra performances.
3. Bandfest Day 2 brings more pre-Rose Parade musical thunder (dailybreeze.com) — Arcadia residents can cheer on the Arcadia Apache Marching Band and Color Guard as they showcased their skills at Bandfest Day 2 in Pasadena ahead of the Rose Parade. The two-day event at Pasadena City College featured top marching bands from across the country and abroad, all warming up for their New Year’s Day appearance on Colorado Boulevard.
4. Manufacturing American Citizens: Inside China's Surrogacy Pipeline to Citizenship (nysun.com) — Arcadia readers should know that a high-profile federal investigation into alleged surrogacy abuse centers on a couple living in an Arcadia mansion, where 21 children were removed from the home. Their case is part of a broader national controversy over foreign elites using American surrogacy and birthright citizenship, which is now driving federal probes, new legislation, and a looming Supreme Court showdown.
📸 Around Arcadia
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Arcadia
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Dave & Buster's Family Friendly Early NYE Party!
400 S Baldwin Ave , Arcadia
4:00 pm - Dave & Buster's 21+ New Years Eve Celebration
400 S Baldwin Ave , Arcadia
9:00 pm - Winter Camp
City of Arcadia Recreation Department , 375 Campus Drive , Arcadia
5:00 am - Knitting and Crochet Club
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
1:00 pm - Smarty Pants Storytime
Live Oak Library - Meeting Room
12:00 pm - Walk-in Tutoring With Dennis
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
12:30 pm - Walk-In Tutoring With Margie
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Walk-In Tutoring With Cheri
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Walk-In Tutoring With Pat
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Walk-In Tutoring With Bo-Gay
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Jouyssance presents "Joyeux Noel"
St Luke's Episcopal Church , 122 California Ave , Monrovia
4:00 pm
Wednesday December 31
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Tuesday January 6
Wednesday January 7
Sunday January 11
📣 Arcadia Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Noon Year's Eve (Monrovia)
Library Park , 321 S Myrtle Ave , Monrovia
10:00 am - Naloxone (Narcan) and Fentanyl Test Strip Clinic
El Monte Library , 3224 Tyler Ave , El Monte
12:00 pm - Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strip Clinic - In-Person Program
Temple City Library , 5939 Golden West Ave , Temple City
12:00 pm - Computer Classes
Harbor City - Harbor Gateway Branch Library
3:00 pm
Wednesday December 31
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Arcadia PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - LA Fire Justice — (626) 684-3315
Holding Southern California Edison Accountable
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Update: Pet Reunited
Coco, a cat who went missing in South El Monte, CA, has been safely reunited with their family after 19 hours, 30 minutes. Message from Owner: … (Nextdoor East Central Arcadia) - Found little kitty🐱
I guess I have another foster bean, we got home late tonight and started settling down and having a snack in the kitchen. I noticed a little white… (Nextdoor Vista Del Monte)
- SBM Management posted a job opening for Custodian in El Monte. Apply here.
- Superior Grocers posted a job opening for Scan Coordinator in South El Monte. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Arcadia here.
Ok Arcadia! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I heard there’s only a 50 percent chance of snow.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.