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To freebie or not to freebie… is that even a question?
This week in Los Angeles, from August 8 to 12, you’ll find tons of free ideas including an Aqualillies performance, a free comedy show, free movie screenings, free days at LACMA and The Autry, a sunset concert at Skirball, Dapper Day at the Original Farmers Market, Levitt Pavilion Concerts, and more.
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Things To Do
Aqualillies Summer Watershow -> Following a pandemic hiatus, the Aqualillies Summer Watershow at the Hotel Figueroa returns on Monday for an evening of live performances, cocktails, music, and mermaids, all in tribute to late actress Esther Williams and her popularization of the art of synchronized swimming. Free to attend. Runs 7 to 9 p.m. More info here.
The Secret Show -> This monthly comedy show at The Blind Barber in Highland Park pops up every second Monday. On August 8, hosts Jono Zalay and Logan Guntzelman welcome a lineup that includes Laura Kightlinger, Johnny Pemberton, Kiry Shabazz and Ali Macofsky. Free to attend with RSVP. Get more info here.
LIFE CYCLES at Japan House LA – Stop by Japan House LA this week to see Tanabe Chikuunsai IV’s LIFE CYCLES exhibition, which includes a large-scale installation built from 10,000 woven bamboo strips held together by tension. The exhibition runs through January 15, 2023. Japan House is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More info here.
Black Business Scavenger Hunt -> Mobile farmers market Prosperity Market hosts their second annual Black Business Scavenger Hunt all month long. The interactive promo includes over 50 local, black owned businesses. Guests can discover and visit new spots, then check-in to earn points collected for special prizes. The event runs now through August 27. Get more details and see the “treasure map” here.
Free Second Tuesdays -> Both The Autry Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art offer free admission every second Tuesday of the month.
Summer Night Cinema -> Summer Night Cinema at The Hammer continues this Tuesday with a screening Wattstax, which documents an all-day concert that took place at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival. The screening is free to attend and features gallery access, plus drinks and bar bites for purchase. More info here.
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Moonlight Movies on the Beach -> Moonlight Movies on the Beach screens Luca at Granada Beach on Tuesday and Star Wars Rogue One at Long Beach City College, Liberal Arts Campus on Thursday. Both screenings start at dusk. More info here.
Kalli Arte: Sueños Real -> Kalli Arte, an arts collective formed by Boyle Heights-born duo Adriana Carranza and Alfonso Aceves, has a new residency exhibition at Self-Help Graphics & Art on display now through September 23. Sueños Real is rooted in the ecosystem of Boyle Heights, symbolically represented here by a central large-scale sculpture that branches out to aspects of the artists’ community, while also connecting to ancestral traditions. Visitors can RSVP to visit the exhibition on Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info here.
House of the Dragon at NHM -> We know the Natural History Museum has plenty to offer by way of dinosaurs, how how about dragons? Now through September 7, NHM teams up with HBO for a new pop-up exhibit exploring the the mythical world of the new original series House of the Dragon. Learn about the Targaryen Dynasty and the dragons that ruled beside them while checking out new costumes and props from the series. And yes, there will be a replica Iron Throne on hand for photo ops. Included with museum admission. Included with museum admission. More info here.
Girlpool at Amoeba -> Catch a free performance by Girlpool at Amoeba Music on Wednesday. Show is all-ages starts at 5 p.m. More info here.
Shakespeare in The Park -> ISC’s Shakespeare in The Park continues in this month with performances of Macbeth in Griffith Park on Wednesdays to Sundays through September 4. The productions are free to attend, but donations are strongly encouraged. More info here.
Sizzling Summer Nights -> Sizzling Nights are back at the Autry every Thursday in August. Expect evenings of salsa dancing along with after-hours gallery access at the The Autry every Thursday night from August 4 to September 1. A limited quantity of $20 tickets for non-members are currently available for purchase. More info here.
Art & Beer Night LA -> Art & Beer Night LA comes to Flying Embers Tap Room this Thursday with 25 local artists, plus food trucks, beer, and hard kombucha on offer. $5 (pre-sale price) gets you in. Runs 5 to 10 p.m. More info here.
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Sunset Concerts at Skirball -> The Skirball Cultural Center’s annual celebration of world music continues in August with four consecutive weeks of free Thursday concerts at the museum. This week, catch a performance by Booker T. Jones, with a DJ set from dublab to precede the main event. Complimentary access to the museum’s exhibitions is included with entry. Get more info here.
Dapper Day at the Original Farmers Market -> Dress in your dandiest vintage duds and juke on over to the Original Farmers Market this Thursday evening for a swing concert courtesy of Jumpin’ Joz at Market Plaza from 6 to 8 p.m. It’s all part of Dapper Day’s Summer Soiree, which will include a special Dapper Day pop-up shop open to 2 to 8 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Brew at the Zoo -> This Friday, evening programming is back at the L.A. Zoo on with Brew at the Zoo. Expect 40+ breweries plus animal keeper talks, live music, and bites for purchase. Standard admission starts at $70. More info here.
Levitt Pavilion Concerts -> The Levitt Pavilion concert returns this weekend, kicking off on Friday with Bogota’s Meridian Brothers, opened for by the East L.A. psychedelic cumbia punk duo Tropa Magica. Saturday features Thee Sacred Souls, Los Yesterdays, The Puppet Master, and El Triste, and Sunday will be a special concert put together by the Mundo Maya Foundation. Get more info and all the lineups here.
Jazz at LACMA -> This Friday at 6 p.m., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts Don Littleton presenting Listen Here’s tribute to Eddie Harris at Smidt Welcome Plaza as part of the ongoing Jazz at LACMA series, which continues on Friday evenings through November. Admission is free, however seating is limited and first come, first served. More info here.
Dance DTLA -> Free Friday dance parties continue at The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza in August. This Friday head over for an evening of K-Pop with instruction from Chuck Maa and tunes from DJ Boba Bear. For each event, you’ll learn easy-to-follow steps, allowing everyone to get into the groove right from the jump. Very family-friendly and always free. No reservation required. More info here.
Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks -> The Hollywood Bowl’s annual fireworks extravaganza is back this Friday and Saturday, with conductor Ludovic Morlot leading the LA Phil in selections from The Nutcracker, concluding with a spectacular finale featuring Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Tickets start as low as $26. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
Happy Hour at Pizzana West Hollywood -> Pizzana is now in the Happy Hour game with a fantastic special at their West Hollywood location where $35 gets you a pizza of your choice and any two cocktails or wines by the glass. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 .p.m. Cocktails are fresh takes on classic Italian cocktails such as Tramonto Rosso with Tito’s vodka, Aperol, lemon, Angostura bitters and lime, and Spritz Al Limone with limoncello, orange curacao, lemon, orange bitters, prosecco and mint.
Tallula’s -> Tallula’s in Santa Monica recently added a few weekly specials. Set the week right with Music Mondays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. where the coastal Mexican restaurant will highlight local musicians on their outdoor patio space. Then on Tuesdays it’s all about tacos. Stop in from 4 to 9 p.m. for Taco Tuesdays where guests can take advantage of Happy Hour pricing all-night long on snacks, drinks and tacos. Tuesday-only specials like Jalapeño Miso-Glazed Rock Cod and Carnitas are also on the menu.
New Menu Items at Yakumi Burbank -> Yakumi in Burbank just added new menu items such as a Baked Salmon Crispy Onion Roll with soy paper, Rainbow Roll with cilantro mayo, Avocado Hanabi and more. The modern sushi restaurant also hosts a great weekly happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., which includes 20% off rolls and $5 sake-infused sips.
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