NewsPasadena NowOctober 25, 2026Los Angeles County
Eliot Arts Magnet Students Revive 'Thriller' Dance at Altadena Sheriff’s Station Halloween Event
Photo: Pasadena Now
Students from Eliot Arts Magnet School performed a flash mob dance outside the Altadena Sheriff’s Station during a community Halloween event designed to restore holiday traditions following the Eaton Fire.
Read the full story at Pasadena NowWhy It Matters
Displaced local families and children affected by the January 2025 fire received a safe neighborhood space for trick-or-treating and community connection.
Key Facts
- About 150 students from Eliot Arts Magnet School performed a flash mob to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" outside the Altadena Sheriff's Station.
- The student dance tradition had been interrupted after the January 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed their school campus.
- Altadena Sheriff's Station Capt. Ethan Marquez created the Halloween event to provide a safe trick-or-treating space for children who lost their neighborhoods in the fire.
- Between 25 and 50 people helped organize the event following months of planning meetings.
- Some volunteers who helped put on the station's haunted house were residents who previously built neighborhood haunted houses before losing their homes in the fire.
Who's Mentioned
PersonEthan Marquez“Captain who conceived the Halloween celebration.”OrganizationAltadena Sheriff’s Station“Host venue for the Halloween event.”PersonBilly Rough“Director of the student dance performance.”otherEaton Fire“Disaster that destroyed the school campus and homes.”locationAltadena“Location of the sheriff's station and community event.”OrganizationEliot Arts Magnet School“School whose students performed the dance routine.”