Posted by Every week in Los Angeles there are tons of great things to do (even before the weekend gets started) that we think you ought to have on your radar. With that in mind, we put together a list every Monday morning to keep you in the know about what’s happening in the city you love (or maybe just like).
This week, from Monday, May 16 to Friday, May 20, features a BioBlitz, the first-ever Venice Art Week, the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, a free screening of Purple Rain at The Wiltern, LA County Bike to Work Day, the Taste of Boyle Heights, Field of Dreams at The Skirball, and lots more.
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Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your week!
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Monday May 16th, 2016
1. BioBlitz Week + Festival at Paramount Ranch
Santa Monica Mountains is hosting a BioBlitz during the National Park Service’s centennial year with a week long of public biological survey events. There’s also a free BioBlitz Festival at Paramount Ranch this Friday!
2. Magic Monday at the Santa Monica Playhouse
Kick off your week with one of the best weekly magic shows in Los Angeles, now playing at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Be sure to grab discount tickets for show via our friends at Goldstar.
3. Piatigorsky International Cello Festival
The International Cello Festival (May 13 – 22) brings out some of the best master cellists from around the world onto various Los Angeles spaces to share their talents through orchestral concerts, chamber music performances, master classes, and other events. We spotted some discount tickets for the Tuesday event on Goldstar!
4. Monday Night Tease at Three Clubs
Catch L.A.’s longest running weekly burlesque show at Three Clubs in Hollywood on Mondays. More information on discount tickets available via our friends at Goldstar.
5.Monday Mayhem Game Night at Angel City Brewery
Come on out to Angel City Brewery in DTLA’s Arts District as they host one epic game night that includes 15+ Board Games, 8+ beers on tap, a 3-round cornhole Tournament and one geeky host.
Tuesday May 17th, 2016
6. Sci Fest
The third annual Sci-Fest will take over the ACME Theatre from May 5-29 for a series of one-act science fiction plays featuring familiar faces from fantasy and sci-fi franchises.
7. Sip Cocktails, See The Sights With The Historic Hollywood: Stars & Bars Gang!
Get a taste of Old Hollywood and sip on classic cocktails as an awesome guide share history tidbits, celebrity stories and more on Urban Adventures tour of Historic Hollywood. For more information and discount tickets for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday check out our friends at Goldstar.
8. Guided Sunset Walk at Griffith Observatory
One Tuesday of every month the Griffith Observatory hosts a FREE guided sunset walk led by a Park Ranger and a Museum Guide. Great way to get acquainted with the Observatory!
9. Captain America: Civil War in 3D at the El Capitan
Hollywood’s legendary El Capitan Theatre presents a special engagement of Marvel’s Captain America all weekend long with special pre-show entertainment. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.
10. Food Truck Night at The California Heritage Museum
Food truck night at the museum host a big selection of gourmet food trucks every Tuesday night from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at the California Heritage Museum on Main Street.
11. The Broad Presents: The Un-Private Collection with Robert Longo and Henry Rollins
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This ongoing series put on by The Broad sets up a variety of artists in conversation with cultural leaders in a variety of Los Angeles specific venues. Renowned contemporary artist Robert Longo and American Renaissance Man Henry Rollins will converse at The Orpheum Theatre this week. Tickets are $15.
12. Free Museums This Tuesday
- Descanso Gardens is free on the third Tuesday of every month.
- Los Angeles County Arboretum is free this Tuesday.
- South Coast Botanic Garden is free this Tuesday.
13. Descanso Gardens Exhibit: Woven
The Sturt Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens will present “Woven,” an exhibition centered on the art of weaving opening this Tuesday.
Wednesday May 18th, 2016
14. The Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
The L.A. Jewish Film Festival (May 18-25) returns this year with exclusive L.A. premieres and an opening gala honoring Laemmle theaters 75+ years of showcasing Jewish and art house films.
15. The May Mix-Off Bartending Competition
Hosted by the Mixing Room at the JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE, this three-week competition includes bartenders and mixologists from Los Angeles’ most notable bars, restaurants and lounges. Round two starts this Wednesday, admission is free and complimentary tastings will be available to guests.
16. FLIX at FIG Screens: Top Gun
Join FIGat7th for dinner and a movie. Grab food from their TASTE Food Hall, cozy up under a warm blanket, and watch a FREE movie every third Wednesday of the month. A live DJ and happy hour kicks off the night at 6:00pm and the film begins at 7:00pm.
17. Literary Death Match
Literary Death Match is an epic one night reading series battle pinning four writers against each other reading from their best material. Taking place at Largo the match brings out some of the best authors, actors and even comedians as judges. See the line-up and get ticket info here.
18. Lunchtime Yoga Retreat
Get your sun salutations on in the middle of Downtown in Grand Park! The free yoga class starts at 12:15 p.m. and runs to 1 p.m.
19. Dinosaurs: Unextinct at the L.A. Zoo
The L.A. Zoo will play host to some prehistoric residents. Come get up close and personal with 17 life-size animatronic dinosaurs some reaching almost 22 feet high and weighing close to 7,000 pounds. Additions to the new exhibit are a Fossil Dig, controllable Stegosaurus, climbable Pachyrhinosaurus, and a free 3-D augmented reality app. Tickets cost $5 the exhibit will run till October 31st.
Thursday May 19th, 2016
20. Free Screening of Purple Rain at The Wiltern
A free special tribute screening of Purple Rain will be showing at The Wiltern this Thursday. Doors open at 7 p.m. movie starts at 8 p.m. all you need to do is rsvp.
21. LA County Bike to Work Day
Join thousands of other bike commuters around Los Angeles County and ride to work as part of LA County’s Bike to Work Day, happening this Thursday. Free Metro rides for those participating!
22. Inside Baseball with Larry King and Tommy Lasorda
Join Larry King and legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda for a dynamic and expansive conversation about baseball in Los Angeles at the Skirball Culture Center.
23. Downtown Los Angeles Food Walking Tour
Sidewalk Food Tours of Los Angeles will lead you on a fun three-hour walking tour through Downtown Los Angeles sharing stories of the city’s early settlers, gossip about Hollywood’s heyday, architectural highlights, cultural changes of L.A. and the food scene. You’ll get plenty of chances to grab a bite from seven unique eateries so come hungry. More information and discount tickets for Thursday and Friday’s tour via Goldstar.
24. The Unauthorized Musical Parody of The Big Lebowski
Watch the Coen Brothers’ classic comedy The Big Lebowski in musical form starting this Thursday through July 22 at The Rockwell Table & Stage. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.
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25. Taste of Boyle Heights Music Concert
Live bands, DJs, local street food vendors, photo booth, shopping, swag, drinks and plenty of free parking at Taste of Boyle Heights happening this Thursday.
26. Free Acoustic Concert at The Music Chamber
Come out to enjoy some tunes in an intimate setting FREE! This acoustic concert series at The Music Chamber recording studio in the San Fernando Valley gives musicians a chance to perform live in a studio much like VH1 Storytellers or MTV unplugged.
27. First Ever Venice Art Week
Venice Art Crawl will be a part of Venice Art Week this month. Be sure to check out Venice’s newest bar The Lincoln who will host a special Venice Art Crawl exhibit: “Unknown Artist, Unknown Subjects.” Folks can take an evening art tour of Venice Beach galleries this Thursday and end with a Venice Art Walk and Auctions hosted at Google Sunday.
28. Throwback Thursdays Screening of Mi Familia
The Throwback Thursdays film series is back at NOHO cinema, the screening features a gourmet food truck onsite, and guest may bring their food inside the theater! Get more information and discount tickets via our friends at Goldstar.
29. BB Dakota Sample Sale
Word on the street is that prices are as low as $5 at this sale, thats just insane! Get your shopping fix Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: 1638 Pomona Ave Costa Mesa, California
30. Free Museums This Thursday
- The Japanese American National Museum offers free admission from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. every Thursday.
- Every Thursday evening from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. admission is free to both the MOCA on Grand and The Geffen Contemporary.
- The Skirball Cultural Center is free to all every Thursday.
- Pasadena Museum of California Art is free this Thursday from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday May 20th, 2016
31. 13th Annual Taste of Malibu
Taking place right off PCH at Duke’s Malibu this food event is presented by the Malibu Chamber of Commerce and features unlimited local wine and food tastings.
32. Field of Dreams screens at Skirball
Skirball Cultural Center’s monthly outdoor screening series Take Me Out to the Movies continues this May with a special screening of Field of Dreams complete with DJ’d music, ballpark themed snacks like cracker jacks and hot dogs, plus full access to the Skirball galleries. We spot discount tickets over at Goldstar for this event!
33. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at the Million Dollar Theatre
Celebrate LA Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a movie screening in a really cool place. Ang Lee’s Academy Award winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will be screening in 35mm inside the dazzling Million Dollar Theatre in Downtown. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.
34. The Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories Free Demo: The Perfect Cookie
To celebrate the schools 5th year anniversary in Santa Monica The Gourmandise School will provide a free demo on how to bake the perfect cookie with classic flavors like chocolate chunk, and the school’s signature whole grain hazelnut chocolate cookie. All you need to do is rsvp.
35. Odd Nights At The Autry
Shop from over 200 vendors dine on over 20 gourmet food trucks and hang out at the beer garden and watch live local bands all at the free monthly Odd Nights At The Autry.
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36. Free Shark Lagoon Nights At The Aquarium of the Pacific
Get up close with the ocean’s ultimate predators for FREE during Shark Lagoon Nights.
37. Sounds on South Lake
Join the city of Pasadena every Friday this month for Sounds on South Lake, a free outdoor music series featuring a variety of SoCal artist and big names in the music industry.
38. Free Day at the Long Beach Museum of Art
The Long Beach Museum of Art is free every Friday!
39. SPLENDID and ELLA MOSS Warehouse Sale
SPLENDID and ELLA MOSS are hosting a warehouse sale at The Cooper Building. Shop up to 90% off retail prices for women, men, tween, toddler and baby. Taking place Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: The Cooper Building, 860 11th Floor S. Los Angeles Street LA, CA 90014
40. Friday Night Jazz at LACMA
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.
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