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, from Friday, August 17 to Sunday, August 19, features Echo Park Rising, a spandex-themed dance party at Skyspace, the L.A. Taco Festival, Pasadena Rooftop Cinema, a Tiki Swapmeet, All My Friends Music Festival, and MUCH more.
Enjoy!
Friday August 17th, 2018
1. Echo Park Rising celebrates the creativity, diversity, music and businesses of Echo Park with a four-day celebration (Aug 16-19) featuring food, drink, and amazing live music. FREE
2. STRETCH is a spandex-themed dance party that doubles as a cheeky homage to an 80’s workout video. The event features two indoor floors plus two outdoor decks, all taking place 1,000 above the ground at OUE Skyspace LA.
3. “Music. Moves. Change makers.” is a dance-party take over of the Theatre at the Ace Hotel celebrating music and movements from around the world, with a DJ set from KPFK’s DJ Francesca Harding and brief conversation between local New York Times visual journalist Walter Thompson Hernandez and his editor Joanna Nikas. We Like L.A. readers can use the promo code NYTheartsLA to receive $10 off their ticket purchase.
4. Friday Flights at The Getty invites artists to respond to the iconic architecture, gardens and exhibitions of the museum through multiple art forms that include music, performance and film. FREE
5. Long Beach BBQ Festival at Rainbow Lagoon Park (August 17-19) will feature world class pitmasters showcasing their skills for hungry que fans! Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
6. The Roadium in Torrance presents Classic Drive-in Movies every Friday night in August and the first Friday of September. Each family-friendly event features classic films projected on the screen tower. Continuing the series is a screening of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
7. The Los Angeles Zoo’s annual after-hours music series, Roaring Nights, is back for summer 2018. Come experience DJs, indie bands, Silent Disco, the all-new Glamping Lounge, adult beverages, more than a dozen great food trucks each evening and more. The series continues with local country band Highway Starr and DJ Johnny Hawkes. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
8. Rodeo Drive’s BOLD Summer is set to bring an energizing spin to Beverly Hills’ Golden Triangle this August. Come enjoy a block party with live entertainment, special restaurant offers, and more. BOLD happens every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from August 2-25. FREE
9. de Plume has been transformed by Laurie Shapiro into a stunning forrest of intricately painted flowers made to represent the vagina. Titled “All Yoni Is Love,” the exhibit features stylized large paintings, reflective mylar, and hanging orbs of light is made to celebrate the beauty and power of all woman. On Friday a special sound bath will be held right in the middle of the exhibit.
10. Union Station in DTLA will host Filmmm, a series of food-centric films, this summer. The series concludes with a screening of I am Love FREE
11. Picture This! and LoopdeLoop are joining forces for a night celebrating dogs! This free live animated comedy show will feature standup comics perform as talented animators, cartoonists and loopers draw them live. FREE
12. Back for the 15th year in a row, The Independent Shakespeare Co. presents Shakespeare in the Parkat the Old Zoo in Griffith Park with free performances of A Mid Summer Nights Dream and Titus Andronicus Wednesday through Sunday. FREE
13. The Music Center’s annual Dance DTLA series is back for 2018 with a series of Friday-night events at Grand Park. This week features DJ Nights, an evening of music, dancing and more from 9 to midnight. FREE
14. The Burbank Comedy Festival taking place across five different venues will host 200 performers from around the globe for five days (August 12-18) of nonstop funny business. The festival kicks off with Jeff Garlin this Sunday!
15. The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum will host Late Night Fridays where guests can enjoy free general admission from 5 to 8 p.m. and gain access to special activities, 3D movies, behind-the-scenes tours, live excavations, and more. FREE
16. WP24 by Wolfgang Puck’s Summer Supper + Show returns every Friday and Saturday, July through August, with a Asian-inspired dinner at WP24 by Wolfgang Puck followed by a movie screening on the private 26th floor hotel rooftop. This weekend they’ll screen Grease.
17. Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles will host a rare screening of artist Paul McCarthy’s ‘cisuM fo dnuoS ehT/The Sound of Music.’ Projected upside down and in reverse, McCarthy transforms the classic film into something strange and unnerving. FREE
18. For over 30 years, Grand Performances has offered a variety of performance events at California Plaza, for free. Their 2018 summer series runs June 1 through August 18. This Friday La Marisoul Hernández of La Santa Cecilia presents The California Feetwarmers and The Hermanos. FREE
19. Shakespeare By The Sea will once again offer a ten-week program of admission-free performances. The series continues with performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Winter’s Tale in different locations Friday and Saturday. FREE
20. Are you a Chase bank customer? Got a freebie you might want to know about. Coolhaus is teaming with the Forum and Chase to hand out free ice cream sandwiches to Chase customers on Fridays all summer long. Locations will change every Friday, and the offer is ice cream sandwich per cardholder. Get more info here.
21. Barnsdall Fridays at Barnsdall Art Park offers evening tastings of boutique wines and music from KCRW DJs perched atop a hill with incredible city views.
22. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include Dirty Dancing, Point Break and more.
Saturday August 18th, 2018
23. The 2018 L.A. Taco Festival at Grand Park in DTLA features an eclectic array of traditional and trending tacos, all from local L.A. spots. Admission is free and all tacos are for sale. Vendors include Kogi BBQ, EpicTacos, Thai-Mex Cocina, Izzys Taco House, Monster Tacos and many more.
24. The All My Friends Music Festival heads to The Row DTLA for two days of live music and performances on three separate stages. Performers include RL Grime, Gucci Mane, Jhene Aiko, M.I.A., Jamie XX, Armand and Van Helden and more.
25. The Pasadena Rooftop Cinema is back for another series of free family friendly screenings on a South Lake Avenue rooftop. This Saturday the series will screen Jurassic Park. FREE
26. KCRW’s Summer Nights continues this Saturday at KCRW headquarters with a Backyard Party featuring KCRW DJ Henry Rollins, a selection of food trucks curated by KCRW’s Evan Kleiman and record collectors and dealers hand-selected by Beats Swap Meet. FREE
27. Taste of Brews Long Beach features dozens of microbrews and hard ciders, along with snack samples from food trucks and live entertainment. This year, the oceanfront event is selling a limited number of tickets, meaning shorter lines.
28. The Silverlake Flea-Night Market taking place every Saturday from 5-10 p.m. all summer long features a plethora of local, independent sellers that offer vintage clothing, art, rare vinyl, crafts, and much more.
29. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screening of Black Panther at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Culver City, Casablanca in Victory Park Pasadena and The Lion King at Park Center in Griffith Park. Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED
30. Once every month Griffith Observatory hosts a free public star party allowing the public to view through telescopes to see the stars and beyond as well as discuss with knowledgeable amateur astronomers about our solar system. FREE
31. HUSHfest takes over the Santa Monica Pier for a silent disco dance party focused on the “New York State of Mind” with Jay Z vs LCD Soundsystem vs Talking Heads tunes.
32. Check out LACMA’s latest exhibition, 3D: Double Vision an interactive exhibit that explores the art and illusion of 3D.
33. Eat|See|Hear returns for 2018 with a screening of The Sandlot (25th Anniversary) at La Cienega Park in Beverly Hills. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
34. Head over the Simi Valley Town Center this Saturday for the International Taco Festival. General admission is free, with food and drink available for purchase.
35. Pop Saturdays, a free summer series taking place at Marina del Rey’s Burton Chace Park returns this week with a performance by Punk rock pioneers X with all four original members. FREE
36. City of Rancho Palos Verdes presents Free Movies in the Park this Saturday screening Peter Rabbit at Eastview Park. FREE
37. Nisei Week Japanese Festival returns to the streets of Little Tokyo, beaming with food, culture, entertainment, a grand parade and more. FREE
38. A Yeti Village has been constructed on Hollywood and Vine in anticipation for the movie SMALLFOOT. Designed to look like winter, visitors of all ages can dance in a blizzard, swing on a cloud, ride a 20-foot slide, play in a snowball pit, sing karaoke, do arts and crafts and more. The family-friendly experience is free to attend and runs through September 14, 2018. FREE
39. Cinespia is back for its 17th summer season, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for screenings of films modern, cult, and classic. This Saturday they’ll screen The Outsiders.
40. Perrier is hosting a yoga event featuring a fully-stocked Perrier & Juice drink bar, live DJs from Power106, Vinyasa yoga sessions, giveaways and much more. FREE
41. The Actors’ Gang will once gain bring back Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families with a production of Much Ado About Avengers an original play inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and the characters of Marvel’s Avengers. Taking place at Media Park in Culver City, the 45 minute, all‐ages production will run every Saturday and Sunday this month through August 26. FREE
42. The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) will host their annual Natsumatsuri Family Festival this Saturday celebrating Japanese and Japanese American culture through performances, crafts, and other activities. FREE
43. Enjoy a summer movie night at Warner Ranch Park in Woodland Hills when Movies on the Greenwith a screening of Black Panther. FREE
Sunday August 19th, 2018
44. Swingin’ Summer series returns to The Wiltern with a Roaring ’20s Night, featuring a ten-piece jazz band and swing dancing lessons. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
45. Silents Under the Stars series continues at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills this Sunday with Flesh and the Devil staring Greta Garbo, one of the greatest stars of the 1920s.
46. Head down to Roxanne’s Cocktail Lounge in Long Beach for a Tiki Swapmeet and social featuring live tiki bands and DJs, games, and selected tiki vendors from across SoCal.
47. Movie Night at The Wiltern will host a Lady and the Tramp matinee screening with themed photo ops, face painting and coloring stations. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
48. Fans of ice cream can head down Ice Cream Alley, a special area of Smorgasburg LA dedicated to showcasing the best of local ice cream and sweet treats, all in one place.
49. Head to Downtown L.A. for Sunday Sessions, at Grand Park and enjoy the city’s best House music artists, groove on the dance floor and enjoy eats from food trucks and cocktails from the bar. FREE
50. British artist Lucy Sparrow has transformed the second floor of the Standard in DTLA into Sparrow Mart a supermarket art wonderland fill with over 31,000 adorable felt-covered food replicas all for sale. Part art installation, store and loads of photo worthy moments, Sparrow Mart open Aug 1-31 (closed on Mondays) is free to attend on a first come first serve basis. FREE
51. Boomtown Brewery will host a Summer Family Festival this Sunday with plenty of fun activities like a bounce house, face painting, a petting zoo, games, prizes, and a photo booth. FREE
52. Escape the summer heat during Jazz on the Lawn, a series of free summer concerts at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park every Sunday in August. In addition to live music there will be free dance lessons, food trucks and picnic games. FREE
53. This Sunday is the 9 Year Anniversary of Cool Beans Comedy. To celebrate, they brought in NBC’s Tony Baker, Netflix’s Taylor Tomlinson and other friends for a night of free comedy at The Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena. FREE
54. Free museum days: Museum of Latin American Art and Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)
Schedule provided by We Like LA.