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 week weekend, from Friday, May 4 to Saturday, May 6, features VRLA, Urban Death spring edition, Free Comic Book Day, Eat|See|Hear, Taco Madness, Masters of Taste, Concert in the Dome and MUCH more.
Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your week!
Friday May 4th, 2018
1. VRLA: A New Reality comes to the Los Angeles Convention Center’s South Hall on May 4-5 for the ultimate experience with the next generation of immersive and transformative technology. As the world’s largest virtual reality expo you’ll meet a thriving community of developers, entrepreneurs, enthusiasts and more.
2. Urban Death: Spring, a haunted theater attraction, is coming to Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group in North Hollywood this Friday. Urban Death have terrorized audiences in L.A. for over a decade. Expect a completely new experience of inexplicable horrors and unfathomable monstrosities for this spring edition.
3. The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Clueless takes over the Rockwell in Los Feliz with Broadway style performances in an intimate cabaret setting. Happening Thursday and throughout the weekend. (DISCOUNTED) via Goldstar
4. Griffith Observatory hosts a monthly forum where some of the most amazing phenomena in the known universe are explained and discussed. It’s called All Space Considered and it takes place on the first Friday of every month. May’s edition celebrates the 10th anniversary of the free program. FREE
5. Royce’s Arcade located in Chatsworth houses over 100 arcade games. On Fridays through Sundays they open their doors for unlimited gaming for $5 per person.
6. Since its the first Friday of the month check out all the cool events happening around town including block parties and art walks for First Fridays.
7. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of The Montalban in Hollywood and LEVEL in DTLA with multiple screenings this week that include I, Tonya, The Big Lebowski, Back to the Future and more.
8. Effervescence is a showcase of the finest Champagne and sparkling wines, taking place at four great Los Angeles venues — Republique, the Kimpton La Peer Hotel, Avalon Hollywood, and Kali — from May 3-5.
9. The bi-annual Matisse Footwear warehouse sale will have highly coveted styles at 80% below retail, with prices starting at $10. Happening May 3-5 in El Segundo.
10. Happy Place has found a new home at LA Live’s Event Deck, opening on April 26 and running through May 27 the very Instagram friendly experience will feature a giant pot of gold and indoor confetti dome, a bath tub filled with rubber duckies and more. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
11. Visit the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, a majestic Mediterranean masterpiece built in 1915 and designed by distinguished architect Reginald Davis Johnson, from April 22-May 20. The tours have been going strong since 1948, it’s also one of the oldest, largest and most successful house and garden tours in the country.
12. Amy Herzog’s Belleville continues its first-ever Los Angeles run at the Pasadena Playhouse this week. The play stars Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect, True Blood) and Thomas Sadoski (Life in Pieces, The Newsroom) in a production that Entertainment Weekly calls a “shocking thrill ride that will leave you breathless.” Show runs until May 13. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. (DISCOUNTED) via Goldstar
13. There’s a Sichuan Summit at the Million Dollar Theatre as part of the L.A. Times Food Bowl showcasing chefs from Los Angeles that include Hip Hot, Meizhou Dongpo and Sichuan Impression. Yu’s Family Kitchen from Chengdu China will also make an appearance. The event will feature cooking demos, a panel led by L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold and a family style dinner the following day.
14. May 4 is Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You!), a worldwide celebration that various businesses take part in. The Short Stop will have guests dancing to cosmic tunes, drinking themed drinks, part taking in Star Wars happy hour trivia, and costumes are encouraged for free admission.
15. First Fridays return to the Natural History Museum this Friday. The event will explore “L.A. Backstory” with NHMLA History Department, there will be a discussion on architecture and design and live music provided by Homeshake and Earth Helen Brown.
16. The Tony and Olivier Award-nominated musical Blues in the Night brings its show stopping production to The Wallis now until May 20. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. (DISCOUNTED) via Goldstar
17. Step inside The Museum of Illusions in Hollywood and find yourself in a classic painting, part of a cartoon, part of current events, inside movies and much more. Highlights include watching the Titanic go down, “climbing” a sheer cliff and other eye popping visuals. Happening all week. (DISCOUNTED)via Goldstar
18. Free admission at: Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.), Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 pm) and Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m to 5 p.m.)
Saturday May 5th, 2018
19. Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday! We rounded up some of the best food and drink deals as well as parties happening all over Los Angeles in this week’s Tasty Tuesday News Bites.
20. Free Comic Book Day is back on May 5! Occurring every year on the first Saturday of May, it’s an international comic book celebration during which comic book shops give away comic books absolutely FREE to anyone who visits their shops.
21. Eat|See|Hear returns for 2018 with a screening of Despicable Me at North Hollywood Recreation Center. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
22. If you have a passion for tacos, head to Hecho in LA: Taco Madness at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Downtown Los Angeles. Savor the city’s best tacos, listen to great music, drink micheladas, and try the best local craft L.A. beer. This event is brought to you by L.A. Taco and I LOVE MICHELADAS produced by SUAVICREMA.
23. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screening of I, Tonya at Poinsettia Rec Park in West Hollywood and Get Out at LA State Historic Park in Los Angeles. Check for discounted ticketsbefore making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
24. Silver Lake’s Los Angeles County Store, where everything is hand-made in the Los Angeles area will celebrate it’s four year anniversary with a party. Festivities include refreshments and a pop-up shop featuring from Plume and Pulp stationery, We Felt Things felted monsters and plants, Marly Beyer art prints, Lady Angeles balms, and Sanctuary Ceramics.
25. The 13th Annual Freestyle Festival on May 5 at The Queen Mary include MC Hammer, Jody Watley, The Jets, The Sugarhill Gang and many more with genres including R&B, hip-hop, rap and ska.
26. Bid farewell to Kidspace Museum’s butterfly season during its Grand Butterfly Celebration on May 5-6. Learn about butterflies and how support their life cycle, mold a butterfly puddler out of clay, paint butterfly scenes en plain air & make a butterfly stick kite that you can wave at the 2 p.m. show with a live DJ.
27. Bowling for Rhinos returns to the Jewel City Bowl in Glendale for their annual bowling fundraiser thrown by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) and aims to raise money and support for endangered rhino species. Last year’s event was the most successful on record, so now AAZK is hoping to surpass their previous fundraising goal!
28. ROW DTLA teams up with Unique Markets for several Unique L.A. mini markets to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The shopping event will feature a monthly rotation of hand-picked local artists, designers, and emerging brands.
29. Downward Grog presents Brewery Yoga this Saturday at Indie Brewing Company.
30. Museum of Selfies opens on April 1 and will run till May 31 with 10 interactive exhibits that welcomes visitors to take a closer look into the cultural phenomenon. The curators of the Glendale museum have also collected an array of Instagram-inspired art as well as an Iron Throne made of selfie sticks for guests to enjoy.
31. There’s a Cinco De MONICA Block Party happening this Saturday with table service at Gramercy, food trucks, a full bar, lifesize jenga, cornhole, live Mariachi and cover bands, DJs, tequila tasting and more.
32. Old Pasadena Historic Walking Tours are hosted by trained docents who will lead guests through the neighborhood highlighting unusual architectural details, old alleyways, and historic signs that make Old Pasadena special.
Sunday May 6th, 2018
33. The Masters of Taste food and drink festival returns to the Pasadena Rose Bowl this Sunday for the ultimate spread of delicious food and drink all for a good cause. Proceeds go directly to the Union Station Homeless Services in Pasadena. This one-day mouthwatering festival will feature culinary delights, sweets, and beverages from over 40 master chefs and restaurants, as well as handcrafted cocktails from master mixologists. Use promo code WELIKELA18 to get $15 off ticket purchase. Check for discounted tickets while supplies last before making your purchase. (DISCOUNTED) via Goldstar
34. Mount Wilson Observatory launches its second season of special concerts inside its historic 100-inch telescope dome at Concert in the Dome. There will be two musical performances: one at 3 p.m. and the other at 5 p.m. A reception for the artists will follow each performance.
35. Vegfest 2018, the all-vegan festival will feature 100+ vegan speakers and 50+ vegan food trucks and booths. Admission is free for all attendees and will include a vegan international food court, live music, kids activities, animal adoptions and an eco-marketplace.
36. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood brings back their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre this week with a screening of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Choose to just watch the movie or purchase a three course dinner package before hand. There will be concession style snacks and cocktails for sale as well.
37. Le Salon de Musiques presents a stage free chamber musical experience with champagne and high tea to follow at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion this Sunday. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
38. Stories Of is a female-identified story telling event featuring live performances, DJ sets, a market place and more. Taking place at The Regent in DTLA this edition of Stories Of will focus on the topic of jealously featuring stories from Garbage front woman Shirley Manson, comedian Aparna Nancherla aa well as founders and activists of empowerment.
39. Speak Easy Yoga is a brand-new series curated especially for Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown on Sundays through the end of May. Do a down dog and namaste to music from the 1920s. If you follow your yoga session with Indigo’s Bootlegger Brunch, it will include one complimentary beverage with purchase of a brunch entrée.
40. Visit Tujunga Village for the first-ever Springtime in the Village Wine & Jazz Festival and Street Faire. The event, taking place outside classic Italian restaurant and jazz club Vitello’s, is a great opportunity to taste over 100 wines, meet the winemakers, sample bites and enjoy live music.
41. Free admission at: Museum of Latin American Art and Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can).
Schedule provided by We Like LA.