The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has proclaimed April 2026 Armenian History Month — and communities across the San Gabriel Valley are marking the occasion with a full calendar of cultural events, commemorations, and calls to remembrance.

There are a few people in the world whose communities beyond their national borders outnumber those within it. The Armenians are among the most striking examples. Their diaspora — scattered across continents by catastrophe rather than choice — is a living testament to survival, and nowhere in the world is it more visible than in Southern California.

When the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this spring to proclaim April 2026 Armenian History Month, it was an acknowledgment of something the region’s Armenian community has long known: Los Angeles County is, in many ways, a second homeland. The motion, authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn, honors what the proclamation describes as “the rich cultural heritage, resilience, and contributions of the Armenian community.”

The proclamation’s timing is deliberate. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire began the systematic deportation and massacre of the Armenian population — an atrocity now recognized as genocide, in which an estimated 1.5 million people were killed or displaced. It unfolded amid the chaos of World War I, when global attention was elsewhere. Silence and then denial became instruments of the crime itself.

The question of how so many Armenians came to call Southern California home traces directly to that history. Survivors who initially settled on the East Coast — in Boston, New York, and other port cities — gradually made their way westward, establishing roots in Fresno and San Francisco, and eventually in Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena. Today, the global Armenian population is smaller than that of Los Angeles County alone, yet the diaspora has managed to build an enduring presence here, contributing across medicine, science, business, education, law, sports, and public service.

“History has shown that inaction is not neutral; it enables injustice. The failure to hold perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide accountable did not just close a painful chapter; it set a dangerous precedent. When crimes against humanity go unanswered, they echo forward, creating conditions where ethnic cleansing and persecution can continue, as we have seen affecting Armenians in Artsakh in recent years.” — Ardy Kassakhian, Glendale City Councilmember

The centennial of the genocide in 2015 proved a galvanizing moment. Armenian organizations across Los Angeles united for a major rally, and cities including Pasadena and Glendale officially proclaimed April 24 a Day of Remembrance. In Pasadena, the community went further — erecting a permanent memorial at Memorial Park, a monument built in defiance of denial and dedicated to collective memory and respect.

This April, that spirit of remembrance takes shape across dozens of events in both cities. From film screenings and art workshops to poetry readings, choir performances, and culinary tastings, the month’s programming offers something for every generation — and keeps faith with those who came before.

Pasadena

The City of Pasadena is recognizing Armenian and Arab American Heritage Month throughout April with cultural programming, library events, arts performances, and a social media spotlight on local businesses. Below are the Armenian-focused events.

Colors & Patterns: Armenian-Inspired Canvas Painting

Saturday, April 4  |  3 p.m.  |  Santa Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. Washington Blvd.

Create your own painted canvas using a simple pre-drawn square pattern inspired by Armenian design. Participants choose colors from the Armenian flag or traditional rug palettes. For ages 13 and up.

Film Screening: The Color of Pomegranates (1969)

Friday, April 17  |  11 a.m.  |  San Rafael Branch Library, 1240 Nithsdale Rd.

A special library screening of Sergei Parajanov’s visually stunning masterpiece celebrating Armenian culture, history, and identity. Through poetic imagery and symbolism, the film paints a portrait of the 18th-century troubadour Sayat-Nova and the rich spirit of Armenian heritage. Rated NR. For ages 18 and up.

Forget-Me-Not Cross Stitch: A Symbol of Remembrance

Saturday, April 18  |  3 p.m.  |  Santa Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. Washington Blvd.

Learn the basics of cross stitch while creating a forget-me-not design, a symbol of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide. This guided program offers a quiet, meaningful way to reflect through craft. For ages 13 and up.

An Afternoon of Armenian History & Heritage

Saturday, April 25  |  1–3:30 p.m.  |  Lamanda Park Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena Dr.

A two-part program beginning with the documentary My Mother’s Voice (2012, 30 minutes), the story of author Kay Mouradian’s mother — a survivor of the Armenian Genocide who made her way to America to marry a man she knew only from a photograph. A presentation and Q&A follow the screening. At 2:15 p.m., longtime friends Meri and Elen present a personal travelogue of their travels to Armenia, sharing photos, artifacts, and stories of Yerevan and the Armenian countryside. For ages 13 and up.

GenoLive: An Exhibition on Armenian Contributions to Humanity

Friday, April 24  |  Hours TBD  |  Armenian Arts Center, 250 N. Orange St., Pasadena

GenoLive is a cultural and educational exhibition highlighting Armenian contributions to science, medicine, and the arts — told through stories, inventions, discoveries, and accomplishments spanning generations despite historical tragedy. The show includes visual presentations and historical material. For more information: Armenian Arts.

AGBU Choir and Lila Dance Studio Performance

Wednesday, April 28  |  7 p.m.  |  Westerbeck Recital Hall, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd.

A cultural performance evening featuring the AGBU Choir and Lila Dance Studio. For more information: http://pasadena.edu

Throughout April, the City’s Communications and Marketing Division will spotlight Armenian-owned businesses in Pasadena on social media. Follow along at Facebook and Instagram @CityOfPasadena and Twitter @PasadenaGov.

The Pasadena Public Library has compiled a reading list of titles by Armenian authors and on Armenian American history and experiences. Find the list at CityOfPasadena.net/Library.

Photo: Karine Armen

Glendale

Home to one of the largest concentrations of Armenians outside the Republic of Armenia, Glendale has long treated April as a civic as well as cultural occasion. This year, events span City Hall, the Alex Theatre, Glendale Community College, and the public library.

Glendale City Council Proclamation

Tuesday, April 21  |  6 p.m.  |  Glendale City Hall, Council Chambers, 613 E. Broadway (Second Floor)

A formal proclamation will be presented before the Glendale City Council in recognition of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration and Armenian History Month.

City of Glendale Commemoration Ceremony

Thursday, April 23  |  6 p.m.  |  Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

The city’s official commemoration, themed “Memory Across Generations: The Continuing Echo of 1915,” explores what memory means when history grows more distant — and why it still matters. The program includes performances by the AGBU Choir and Lila Dance Studio, traditional music by Jivan Gasparyan Jr., student performances from the Sonata Music School, and a short documentary produced by the City of Glendale TV Team on the Armenian displacement. Free and open to the public.

“The reason we commemorate and educate others about the Armenian Genocide — even more than a century later — is because without that understanding, we become far more susceptible to ignoring the warning signs of human rights violations and atrocities as they unfold around the world today. Learning about history is not just about acknowledging the past; it’s about preparing the next generation to recognize the early signs of injustice and to act before a crisis becomes a tragedy.” — Ardy Kassakhian, Glendale City Councilmember

Armat Culinary Diaspora Tasting

Saturday, April 11  |  10 a.m.–1 p.m.  |  Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St.

Experience the Armenian culinary diaspora through a curated tasting from three Glendale restaurants: Zhengyalov Hatz (representing Armenia and Artsakh), Carousel (Lebanese-Armenian), and Monta Factory (Middle Eastern-Armenian). The program explores how Armenian culinary traditions have evolved across regions, with two tasting sessions, cooking demonstrations in the Teen Space at 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon, and a conversation with restaurant staff. Wristbands distributed beginning at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Abril Bookstore will be on-site selling Armenian cookbooks.

Glendale Community College: Araksya Karapetyan in Conversation

Tuesday, April 28  |  12:30–2 p.m.  |  GCC Auditorium, 1500 N. Verdugo Rd.

Araksya Karapetyan, news anchor for Good Day LA and Fox 11 Los Angeles, speaks as part of Glendale Community College’s Armenian Genocide Commemoration programming. GCC hosts additional events throughout April. For the full schedule: http://glendale.edu.

GUSD Armenian-American Heritage Month Celebration

Wednesday, April 29  |  6 p.m.  |  Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

Glendale Unified School District honors Armenian-American Heritage Month with a free public program featuring award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and photojournalist Eric Nazarian as keynote speaker. The evening also includes a piano recital by five-year-old Alec Van Khajadourian and performances by the International School of Music, Sonata Music School, Davidian Mariamian Educational Foundation, Svartnots Dance Ensemble, and GUSD students. Free admission.

“It is important for Glendale to honor the Armenian Genocide. The students and community need to know the history of the Armenian people so that we can look at the present and future and advocate and uplift the culture, people, and country of Armenia.” — Ingrid Gunnell, GUSD Board Member

Peter Balakian: Poetry Reading and Book Event

Thursday, April 30  |  6–7 p.m.  |  Glendale Central Library Auditorium, 222 E. Harvard St.

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Peter Balakian reads from his latest collection, New York Trilogy — a sweeping long poem in three parts tracing one man’s journey from the late 1960s to the twenty-first century, shaped by historical events including the Armenian Genocide, the Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, September 11, and the climate crisis. Balakian is the author of nine poetry collections and the PEN/Albrand Award-winning memoir Black Dog of Fate. His book The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response was a New York Times bestseller. Books will be available for purchase from Abril Bookstore at the event.

For the full Glendale Public Library series on Armenian Heritage Month, visit eglendalelac.org/armenian.

This article draws on reporting from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the City of Pasadena, the City of Glendale, and the Armenian National Committee of America. The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial is located at Memorial Park, Pasadena; its history is documented at designmattersatartcenter.org.