Posted by Need stuff to do this April in Los Angeles? Got you covered.
We looked ahead on our calendar to spotlight some of the best events happening in April 2016 around Los Angeles that you should probably have on your radar. After all, better to get your tickets now than wait till the last minute and find out your favorite event is sold out.
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April 2016 event highlights include The Shining screening in Griffith Park, a Roaring Twenties Street Jam, the return of Dodgers baseball, the LA Beer Festival, Harry Potter Roller Skating Night, College Night at LACMA, and much more.
Complete rundown starts after the jump.
Enjoy!
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[REMINDER: In some cases We Like L.A. does receive revenue when visitors click on ticket links and make purchases, however we maintain complete editorial control over the events we suggest. Basically, it only makes it on to the website if we think it is cool!]
1. The Shining at the Old Griffith Park Zoo (April 1)
The team behind the Great Horror Movie Nights (same folks who do Great Horror Campouts and the Haunted Hayrides) are hosting a spooky screening series beginning this March, and then continuing on once a month into May, all hosted at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. The second screening, held on Friday, April 1 will feature The Shining.
2. Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage (April 1-2)
Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage will invite guests for a night of symphonic music while iconic scenes from the film and television series are projected in high definition on to a 40-foot wide screen at The Wiltern. Keep in mind some discount tickets for orchestra seating (saving over $30) are available via Goldstar while supplies last.
3. Roaring Twenties Street Jam (April 1-3)
Kick off your April by heading over to Los Feliz for a weekend-long celebration of the 1920’s lifestyle with hodgepodge of historically themed events including walking tours of vintage architecture, a dance party at Mack Sennett Studios, a fancy gala at the Sowden house, speakeasy nights, dance lessons, and more.
4. TOMATOMANIA! at Descanso Gardens (April 2-3)
TOMATOMANIA! returns to Descanso Gardens on April 2 for a full weekend of tomato themed fun. Dubbed by organizers as ‘the tomato freaks Woodstock’ TOMATOMANIA! started as a west coast phenomenon in the 1990s and evolved over time into a coast-to-coast springtime tradition for tomato-loving gardeners of all types.
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5. Masters of Taste (April 3)
Savor the finer things during Masters of Taste, a new outdoor luxury food and drink festival making its inaugural debut Sunday, April 3 at the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Some of L.A.’s top master tastemakers will come together for a day celebrating the good life, that includes bites from 40 restaurants, an array of delicious sweets, handcrafted cocktails and tastings from esteemed bartenders, wineries, local craft breweries, pressed juicers and coffee roasters. Proceeds benefit the Union Station Homeless Services. Oh and yours truly We Like L.A. is an official media sponsor of the event so maybe we’ll see you out there!
6. The 6th Annual Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival (April 8-10)
The sixth annual Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival will host three extraordinary days of wining and dining in an iconic California desert backdrop. The weekend-long event features a multi-course James Beard Luncheon, live cooking demonstrations from celebrity chef talent, cookbook signings, and samplings from over 40 restaurants and 60 premium wineries, breweries, and spirits purveyors.
7. The 2016 LA Beer Festival (April 9)
So what can you expect at the 8th annual LA Beer Festival? How about 200 beers to sample plus dozens of food trucks, DJs, and live music, including a dueling piano bar. Among the list of featured breweries for this year’s event is Golden Road, Red Hook, Beach City Brewery, Congregation Ale House, Firestone Walker, Angry Orchard, Wolf Creek Brewery, Shock Top, Ballast Point, Widmer Brothers, Kona Brewing Co., and dozens more.
8. The L.A. Times Festival of Books (April 9-10)
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has always been about one simple mission: to connect people who love books, both the creators and the consumers. This year that mission continues with a weekend long extravaganza on the USC campus that will include live bands, poetry readings, chef demos, photography exhibits, film screenings, Q&A’s, and other cultural entertainment activities.
9. The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire (April 9 – May 23)
Now in its 54th year, the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire offers guests the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a whimsical recreation of an Elizabethen English Village. Expect plenty of rides, arts, crafts, food, and dance along more than 1,500 costumed performers who help entertain festival-goers, including artisans, acrobats, internationally acclaimed musicians and entertainers, juggling jokers and jesters, and even jousting knights.
10. The Dodgers Start Their 2016 Home Season (April 12-14)
It’s time for Dodgers baseball! The boys in blue kick off their home season with a April 12-14 series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pick up some discount Dodger tickets via Goldstar for the April 13 matchup, which includes for a hooded sweatshirt giveaway, or even wait until Friday Night Fireworks on April 15 when a new series starts against the Giants.
See the full Dodgers schedule via official team website linked below.
11. Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 15-17)
L.A. County’s largest annual street race is back for its now 42nd installment.The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place from April 15-17 with car showcases, a celebrity race, music, food, and of course the featured IndyCar event getting underway around 1:30pm on Sunday (April 17) afternoon in downtown Long Beach. If you plan to attend, be sure to shop the discount ticket offers via our partners at Goldstar for potential savings on individual or weekend-long passes.
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12. The 5th Annual Harry Potter Roller Skating Night (April 16)
Los Angeles Dumbledore’s Army is teaming up with Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale for the 5th Annual Harry Potter Roller Skating Night, an epic Harry Potter filled night where fans of all ages are welcome. In addition to roller skating, vendors will be selling Harry Potter themed candy, accessories and jewelry. There will be Butterbeer (non-alcoholic) for purchase and a ceremonial “raising of the wands” to celebrate the life of the late Alan Rickman a.k.a. Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies.
13. Obscura Day 2016 (April 16)
Obscura Day is special occasion every year organized by Atlas Obscura when more than 150 events are held in 35 states and 25 countries, all on a single day, and all designed to celebrate the world’s most curious and awe-inspiring places Check the link below to find all the Obscura Day activities taking place in the L.A. area.
14. Dazed and Confused is Screening at The Wiltern on 4/20 (April 20)
Alright, alright, alright…. Richard Linklater’s cult-classic coming-of-age comedy Dazed & Confused will screen at The Wiltern’s movie night on the most, ummm… appropriate of dates. The folks at Goldstar have a limited number of discount tickets still available for the screening, so be sure to shop and compare before you purchase!
15. Taste of the Valley (April 21)
More than 1,000 attendees are expected as The Taste of the Valley – 17th annual Food, Wine, Spirits, and Microbrew Festival returns to the Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park on April 21 for an indulgent evening of delectable drinks and bites.
16. College Night at LACMA (April 21)
Thursday, April 21 is College Night 2016 at LACMA, where all guests with a valid college ID with be granted free admission to explore one of L.A.’s most iconic museum after-hours.Visitors will be able to check the evolution of men’s fashion in the exhibition Reigning Men, peruse bronze sculptures by Los Angeles-based artist Liz Glynn, or see Chris Burden’s Metropolis II in action.
17. Meet the Grunion at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (April 23)
Ever been to a grunion run? Stay up late at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and see if you can witness this seasonal marvel of nature. In addition to guided observation at the beach during spawning (hopefully!), the Aquarium will offer a special auditorium program and demonstrations all designed to help you learn about the grunion’s annual ritual.
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18. Broke LA Music Festival (April 23)
Don’t have the funds to go to Coachella? Check out Broke LA 2016 (formerly Brokechella), a one-day event in the Arts District featuring four stages of some 50 emerging L.A. bands along with one stage dedicated for a comedy showcase, all taking place Imperial Art Studios on April 23. Oh, and the cost is just $20!
19. Earth Day at Descanso Gardens (April 23-24)
This year’s Earth Day celebration at Descanso Gardens is a two-day event that will focus on flowers and plants for your garden with activities including the Mt. SAC plant sale, a California wildflower installation, a make your own wildflower seed packet event, guided nature walks, and more.
20. Los Angeles Rams Official Draft Party (April 28)
After 20 long years, football has finally returned to Los Angeles! But you don’t have to wait until kickoff to get the 2016 season celebration going. The Los Angeles Rams official draft party comes to L.A. LIVE on April 28 for an evening marking the return of professional football to the city of angels, and hopefully celebrating some promising draft picks for the future. Oh, and it’ll be the first official team appearance of the 2016 Rams cheerleaders 😉
What events are you looking forward to attending this April in Los Angeles? Feel free to make some suggestions in the comments below!
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