Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome.
Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).
This weekend (September 29 – October 1) includes Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival, LA Beer Fest, Boo at the L.A. Zoo, Los Angeles Chocolate Salon, an open streets fest in Santa Monica, Music Taste Good, Halloween Horror Nights, Crawfish for Cancer and LOTS more.
Enjoy!
Friday September 29th, 2017
1. UnSilent Cinema at FIGat7th (Sept. 28-29) is a two-day showcase of classic silent films enlivened by contemporary live scores. The back-to-back evenings will feature a happy hour in the TASTE courtyard, a DJ at the FIGat7th plaza, plus screenings of The Goddess scored by Juana Molina on Thursday and The Passion of Joan of Arc scored by Julia Holteron on Friday. FREE
2. Back for its 8th year, Wicked Lit is a spooky immersive theatre experience that takes classic and unique horror literature and turns them into plays at the Mountain View Mausoleum & Cemetery every Thursday through Sunday starting Sep 28 and running through Nov. 9. Check for discounted ticketsbefore making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
3. Eat|See|Hear returns with Front Porch Cinema, a free movie night below the stars every Friday on Santa Monica Pier from Sept. 29 through Oct. 27. This fall film series will also feature music, drinks, and bites before each screening. Guests have the option to rent old-timey lawn chairs on site or bring their own gear. The series kicks off with a screening of La La Land. FREE
4. Downtown Dark Nights at L.A. LIVE will feature $5 food and drink menus, live music, street performers, and a marketplace featuring eclectic goods from local artisans and vendors.
5. Time to get in the Halloween spirit. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride returns to The Old Zoo in Griffith Park from September 29 to October 31. This years theme is “Clown” and features four different freaky zones, a slew of demonic clowns, a corn maze and more. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
6. Always Legal To Laugh (Sept. 28-29) is a new comedy series taking place at Hollywood’s historic Montalbán Theatre. The live shows will include material from classic The Second City archives, original sketches about modern cannabis culture, and The Second City’s world-famous improvisation. Be sure to check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
7. Head over to Torrance for one of the most well-known Oktoberfest celebrations in the L.A. area! Alpine Village Oktoberfest runs Sept. 8 through Oct 28 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy traditional Bavarian food, beer, dancing, and more.
8. Halloween Horror Nights taking place at Universal Studios Hollywood will immerse guests in a three-dimensional world of terror featuring a new slate of mazes, scare zones and a newly designed “Terror Tram” experience. Themes include American Horror Story, The Shining, SAW, Insidious and more.
9. Beyond Fest returns from Sept. 29 through Oct. 10 with 12 days of special screenings from around the globe at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
10. LA City Councilwoman Nury Martinez and CHAMPION CITY present the very first Van Nuys Arts Festival. Highlights include live musical performances, dublab DJ sets, live art murals, a classic car exhibit with a nod to the Van Nuys car culture, family arts and crafts, a silent disco, craft beer garden and food trucks. FREE
11. Pacific Standard Time LA/LA is in full swing with a four-month-long exploration of Latin American and Latino art in relation to the City of Angels. Led by The Getty the high profile event is a collaborative effort with dozens of art institutions across the city. Check out our top highlights here.
12. California Market Center in Downtown Los Angeles’ Garment District, will open its doors to the public for a big sample sale this Friday. Score fantastic bargains on current styles for women, men and kids. Keep in mind that most showrooms accept cash only, and that you’ll want to bring your own bags.
13. The Actors Gang in Culver City will open their season with Captain Greedy’s Carnival, a musical satire mocking greed, humbug, corruption and predatory capitalism. Follow the story of four innocents who get tricked by a legendary con man. From there on they’ll encounter freaks, illusion, terrifying exhibitions and more. Happening Friday and Saturday. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
14. The folks at Rooftop Cinema Club are back with two screenings at their rooftop locations. Wonder Woman at LEVEL in Downtown Los Angeles and Armageddon at Montalban in Hollywood.
15. LACMA’s award winning Department of Music Program provides hundreds of free concerts and musical events every year for Angelenos to enjoy. This Friday their jazz series continues at the BP Grand Entrance.
Saturday September 30th, 2017
16. The 36th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival will unite all cultures through music, dance and interactive performances including a Yoruba ground blessing and drum circles. There will also be free guided tours at the historical Watts Towers Arts Center and vendors selling food and arts and crafts. Open to all ages! FREE
17. Crawfish for Cancer is part festival and part fundraiser that takes place around the country. They’ll head to the Santa Monica Pier for their first L.A. event this Saturday with a full day of unlimited crawfish and all the fixings, an open bar and live music to provide an authentic Cajun crawfish experience.
18. It’s Oktoberfest time at Santa Anita Park, enjoy horse racing alongside steins of delicious German beer, a costume contest, a stein-holding competition, German “oompah” music from Bavarian Wunderband and more. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
19. Music Tastes Good comes to Marina Green Park in Long Beach on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 for two days of music, food, and art with music by Peaches, Sleater-Kinney and more.
20. The Pain is Love Tour hits The Microsoft Theater for a night of hip hop featuring Ludacris, Ashanti, Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, Lloyd, Da Brat, Lil’ Mo and more. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
21. The heat is not going anywhere here in L.A. so 1886 Bar at The Raymond in Pasadena will host an Endless Summer Mezcal Party this Saturday. The event will feature one-of-a-kind mezcal tastings, signature 1886 mezcal cocktails, food prepared by The Raymond’s Executive Chef, and beats by DJ Ces.
22. Join firefighting grill masters from around the city as they compete for the ultimate BBQ bragging rights during the Second Annual Fire It Up! BBQ Competition. The day will feature four hours of taste-testing some of the best BBQ in town, grilling celebrities, local firefighters and more. Hosted at the Fire Family Foundation headquarters.
23. Street Food Cinema this Saturday will host an overnight camping event with a special screen of The Lost Boys to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the film. The event will take place at King Gillette Ranch in Malibu.
24. Los Angeles Beer Fest returns for their fall edition at L.A. Center Studios with unlimited beers, live music and food trucks.
25. Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Angel City Brewery this Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. where $1 of every SaazBerry pint sold will go to Keep A Breast, a nonprofit organization aimed at empowering young people around the globe to get educated in breast health. The event will also have DJ Kreature spining tunes and the Wheel of Boobies where guests can spin for a chance to win prizes.
26. Get a taste of Whittier’s local flavor during the Uptown Food Festival. This food tasting event will feature unlimited food samples from dozens of local restaurants.
27. The folks at Rooftop Cinema Club are back with two screenings at their rooftop locations. Get Out at LEVEL in Downtown Los Angeles and The Fifth Element at Montalban in Hollywood.
Sunday October 1st, 2017
28. Boo at the L.A. Zoo returns for a spooktacular season this year with a new “Nocturnal Adventure” maze and favorites like the Zoo’s “Animals and Boo” creepy crawler encounters, a puppet show, pumpkin-carving demos, special animal feedings and other family-oriented fun. Weekends will feature “Fearsome feedings,” during which carnivores will devour their favorite meal – carcasses and bones.
29. Get a taste of a beloved Mexican dish when La Feria de los Moles heads to Grand Park in DTLA. The event will feature special presentations on the origin of mole, representatives from Puebla and Oaxaca and various mole tastings. There will also be delicious pastries prepared and paired with the moles. Entrance is free, while the food is available for purchase.
30. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor will transform into a seaport of the damned this Halloween season with terrifying mazes and monsters at every turn like the Iron Master and Graceful Gale. This year they’ll reveal their newest member of the crew, his name is Chef and he’s got a carnivorous kitchen staff with a big appetite. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
31. Come celebrate culture, jazz and community at the 41st Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival. A free day filled with live jazz music, guided tours and art. The event opens with a Yoruba ground blessing followed by performances of various jazz styles from traditional to spontaneous. There will also be free guided tours at the historical Watts Towers Arts Center and vendors selling food and arts and crafts. Open to all ages! FREE
32. The city of Santa Monica presents COAST an annual open-streets event encouraging the community to walk, bike, skate, and scoot through two miles of activated streets. Expect live music and performances, local food, art installations, promotions near the Pier, and more. This free event covers Ocean Avenue from Wilshire Boulevard to Tongva Park and Main Street from Colorado to Pier Avenues. FREE
33. The Angel City Jazz Festival returns to the Ford Amphitheatres in Hollywood honoring the centennial of Thelonious Monk with a tribute to the influential pianist and composer.
34. The Los Angeles Chocolate Salon returns to the Pasadena Center featuring a curated selection of fine artisan, gourmet and premium chocolates. Guests can enjoy chocolate tastings, demonstrations, chef talks, author interviews and an augmented reality (AR) experience.
35. Celebrate the art of the music video during the 7th Annual Los Angeles Music Video Festival, taking place over seven nights from October 1 to 7 at various L.A. locations. This grassroots festival is the largest music video event in the country and includes video screenings, speakers, a juried competition, musical performances, and more.
36. There’s a Sustainable Seafood Expo 2017 happening at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro this Sunday. The expo will educate people on how to limit their marine foot print and sample food from sustainable seafood companies.
37. The Moth is returning to the Broad Stage in Santa Monica for a one-night show titled Leap of Faithon Sunday.
38. Knott’s Scary Farm is back with their signature haunted attractions, mazes and thousands of monsters ready to scare the living day light out of you and your crew. Be sure to check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
39. The third annual SlutWalk hosted by Amber Rose will take place at Pershing Square in DTLA. Join fellow activist for an afternoon of unity.
40. The Great Rock and Roll Flea Market will take over The Regent Theater in DTLA with an impressive selection of vintage clothing, jewelry and music memorabilia. FREE
Article courtesy of We Like LA.