Things To Do This Week in Los Angeles [6-17-2024 to 6-21-2024]

Longest day of the year, you say? With the summer solstice approaching, we’ve got a full menu of ways to mark the “official” start of summer.

From June 17-21 in Los Angeles, check out the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival, the annual Venice Art Crawl, Dance DTLA at the Music Center, Shakespeare by the Sea in Long Beach, All Space Considered at Griffith Observatory, and more. Jump into our full rundown of ideas below!

Things To Do This Week

M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick

Hollywood Fringe Festival -> Hollywood Fringe Festival is back with dozens of venues, including Zephyr Theatre, The Broadwater, and Three Clubs, hosting a huge slate of comedy, ensemble theatre, dance and immersive performances during the two and a half week run. The official festival will run from June 13-30, followed by an Awards Ceremony on July 1. More info here.

Study Country Queer Line Dancing -> Dust off your cowboy boots and two-step your way into June with Stud Country’s queer line-dancing party at Club Bahia in Echo Park. Every Monday and Thursday, Club Bahia transforms into a lively country music haven where you can let loose and enjoy the community spirit. Tickets cost $20 at the door and there will be lessons at 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. More info here.

Free Botanical Garden Days – FA > The South Coast Botanic Garden, L.A. Arboretum, and Descanso Gardens all offer free admission on the third Tuesday of every month. Note that all three required advance reservations, and space is limited.

Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival – M FA TP > The Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival returns this Wednesday under the theme of “LA’s Family Renunion,” bringing together 300 Black-owned businesses, plus multiple stages of live music, DJ’s and spoken word performance to Leimert Park Plaza. Runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.

Juneteenth Celebration T-Pain and Special Guests -> On Wednesday The Hollywood Bowl will celebrate Juneteenth with T-Pain and his curated line up of special guests and a full orchestra. This one-night event celebrates Black music with performances from Ledisi, D Smoke, Tina Campbell, LaRussell, and the DC6 Singers Collective, backed by the Color of Noize Orchestra led by Derrick Hodge. Tickets range from $21 to $200. More info here.

Juneteenth Trivia Night @ Highly Likely -> Neighborhood hotspot Highly Likely will host an evening of Juneteenth trivia at their West Adams location this Wednesday, in partnership will local trivia purveyors Trivia & Co. Expect trivia games spanning a range of topic, plus a mini marketplace highlighting local businesses including vendors J(anubi, Lane Change, A Predominantly Black Candle Haus and more), live art by Omer’s Drawing Studio, and floral arrangements on display by XO Bloom. Tickets for the event run $20. Goes from 7 to 10 p.m. More info here.

Descanso Gardens Summer Music and Dance Series -> There’s a summer music and dance series launching at Descanso Gardens this Thursday. Happening once a month, the kick off series will celebrate Hawaiian culture with the dancers of Hālau Hula Keali`i O Nālani with music by ukulele virtuoso Daniel Ho & Friends. Access to the event is included with admission to the garden. More info here.

Venice Art Crawl – FA > On Thursday, the Venice Art Crawl returns for its annual creative showcase of local artists, artisans, and retail spots offering everything from ceramics, painting, and photography, to music, poetry, and food. Activations and pop-ups will take place in and around Lincoln Blvd, primarily from Venice Bvld to Palms Blvd. Events run 6 to 10 p.m. There should be a full guide of activations available by Wednesday. Free to attend. More info here.

All Space Considered at Griffith Observatory – FA > This Thursday, join the curatorial staff at the Griffith Observatory for their monthly discussion on the latest phenomena and news in the world of astronomy during this evening presentation at the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater (also live streamed on the website). The June program features special guest a strophysicist and professor Dr. Sabrina Stierwalt, who will discuss What Happens When Galaxies Collide? Program runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Get more info here.

Shakespeare By the Sea – FA TP > The 27th anniversary season of Shakespeare By the Sea kicks off this Friday to Sunday at The Bandshell at Recreation Park in Long Beach with a production of Shakespeare’s lost play Cardenio: Double Falsehood. As in past year’s, all SBTS shows are free to attend, but donations are gladly accepted. Performances run at locations throughout L.A. and Orange County through Aug. 3. Shows start at 8 p.m. More info here.

The Music Center’s Dance DTLA – M FA TP > Free evening dance parties return to The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza this Friday! At Dance DTLA, instructors will be on hand to teach guests easy-to-follow steps, allowing everyone to get into the groove right from the jump. The 2024 schedule kicks off with an evening of Bollywood, and subsequent themes include Samba, Hip-Hop, Disco, and more. Always free to attend. Runs 7 to 11 p.m. More info here.

LA Design Weekend – FA > A brand new, three-day L.A.-based design festival pops up this Friday to Sunday, spanning multiple neighborhoods including DTLA, Chinatown, Echo Park, Frogtown, Silver Lake, Lincoln Heights, and Atwater Village. Most programs are free to attend, with events ranging from open studios and tours of historically significant homes to dance parties and picnics. There are also a few specialized workshops that required a small free to cover materials. You can check out the full schedule here.

Friday Night Wine Tastings at Barnsdall Park – M > After a five-year hiatus, Friday night wine tasting events are back at the Barnsdall Art Park West Lawn. A $45 ticket gets you a flight of wine curated by Silverlake Wine, plus access to a rotation of food trucks, all supported by tunes from local DJs and sweet sunset views of the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory. The series continues every Friday through August 30. More info here.

Pride Night at The Aquarium of the Pacific – M > In partnership with The LGBTQ Center Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific is celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with an all ages event this Friday featuring drag queen storytelling, rainbow themed activities and much more. Tickets cost $24.95. Runs 6:30 to 9 p.m. More info here.

Salsa Night at Ivy Station – M FA > This Friday, hop over to Ivy Station in Culver City for an evening of salsa. Dance instructor Pepe Gonzalez teaches an intro salsa lesson from 6:30 to 7 p.m., then guests can use what they’ve learned during a live set by Fermin Fusion Salsa from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Free. Outdoors. Open to the public. More info here.

Grand Performances – M FA > This year’s Grand Performances free concert continues on Friday with a live showcase by 2024 COLA Artist Fellows Sehba Sarwar, Dorian Wood, Gina Loring, Chris Wabich, and Jay Carlon. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.

Live Band Karaoke – FA > This Friday, Casual Encounters brings their brand of live Karaoke to Benny Boy Brewing, offering brave crooners the chance to belt out a selection of over 300 tunes in-front of the beer garden. No cover. Starts at 7 p.m. More info here.

Jazz at LACMA – FA > The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s annual Friday Night Jazz series is back for a season of free weekly concerts at Smidt Welcome Plaza through November. This week: a performance by Devin Daniels Quintet. Remember that LACMA is free to visit for L.A. County Residents (with I.D.) on weekdays after 3 p.m. Seating is first come, first serve. Music begins at 6 p.m. More info here.

Dining & Drinking

(picks by Christina Champlin)

Alcove 20th Anniversary Party -> We Like L.A. fave Alcove in Los Feliz turns 20 this week, and they’re throwing a big anniversary party on Thursday to mark the milestone This indoor-outdoor garden cafe will transform into a living timeline featuring photos and memorabilia of two decades of success. Enjoy multiple themed-bars from past parties like Midnight in Paris and Carnival Cabaret, plus the new Alcove on Mars in the main bar. Entertainment includes a roving magician, balloon artists, a DJ, and performances by Brown Sugar Burlesque. There’s also a special barbecue menu to welcome the summer solstice. No reservations are needed, and the party kicks off at 7 p.m.

Free Ice Cream for a Year at Handel’s Ice Cream -> Los Feliz is getting a Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream. Named the #1 Ice Cream on the Planet by National Geographic, Handel’s has been making fresh ice cream daily since 1945. Visit their new location at 4531 Hollywood Blvd. on Thursday, June 20, for the Grand Opening and the first 100 guests will receive free ice cream for a year. The shop offers over 100 flavors, including sandwiches, ice cream pops, and special cones. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Videre -> Videre, a rooftop spot in Beverly Grove, will celebrate National Martini Day on June 19 with four different martinis for $10 each, available all day long. Cheers to that!

Summer Solstice Happy Hour at Ocean Prime Beverly Hills -> To celebrate the summer solstice, Ocean Prime in Beverly Hills will extend their happy hour until 9 p.m. on June 20. Guests can enjoy newly updated happy hour specials all night, along with live music in their Apex Lounge from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

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