Things To Do This Week in Los Angeles [8-12-2024 to 8-16-2024]

Walking up to Griffith Observatory. Photo by Brian Champlin

If you’re feeling a little shook today (like 4.4 on the Richter shook) then don’t worry: We’ll settle you down with a few fun to-dos over the next five days.

This August 12-16 in Los Angeles, you’ll find Back to School Night at Common Space, a Black Bar Social at The Music Center, CatVideoFest at Vidiots, All Space Considered at the Observatory, All Out for Fallout Day, Lucha VaVoom de La Liz: Rumble in the Jungle, and more. Check the space below for more ideas coming up in the week ahead.

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Things To Do This Week

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


Back to School Night at Common SpaceFA > LAUSD students are back in session this week, which means the educators are back at school too. So how is Common Space Brewery celebrating? Well, on Monday they’ll be offering free pizza and 15% of your bar tab for local teachers. Party starts at 5 p.m. More info here.

Roll @ Santa Monica -> A new pop-up skating park “rolls” into Santa Monica for the summer and through October 14. Catch themed skate nights every 2nd Wednesday of the month, plus there are group skating lessons offered every Saturday and Sunday morning for both adults and children. Open daily starting at noon. Regular admission is $15 (plus fees), which also include skate rental. More info here.

Burbank Comedy Festival -> The Burbank Comedy Festival takes place across different venues August 10-17 with a variety of performers from around the globe for nonstop funny business. More info and full schedule here.

Black Bar Social at The Music Center M FA TP > This monthly series at The Music Center centers on a featured artist or culture maker will pose a question and curate an experience to spark curiosity, imagination and conversation about the evolving cultural landscape of a vibrant Los Angeles. For this Tuesday’s edition, artist Lauren Lee McCarthy leads an evening that poses the question: “Can AI do a better job than a human at helping us to be human?” Free to attend with RSVP. Starts at 6 p.m. More info here.

CatVideoFest 2024 -> CatVideoFest brings cat videos to the big screen with a 73-minute romp filled with internet cat classics, animations, and music videos, all in the name of the cute AF kitty. This year’s film mashup screens at Vidiots in Eagle Rock this Tuesday and Thursday in the MUBI Microcinema. Tickets range $11-$13 for adults. More info here.

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Moonlight Movies on the BeachFA > This Tuesday, Long Beach’s signature beachside summer cinema series continues with a screening of Mamma Mia! at Granada Beach. Movies starts around sunset (8 to 8:30 p.m.). Free to attend, and parking is free after 6 p.m., though spots are limited. More info here.

Shakespeare in the ParkFA > The Independent Shakespeare Co. is once again bringing a summer of the Bard to Griffith Park, but unlike in past years, the 2024 season will focus on a single production. From July 10 to September 1, catch Wednesday-through-Sunday performances of As You Like It at ISC’s familiar space near the Old Zoo. The show starts at 7 p.m. but you’ll want to come at 6 p.m. to enjoy the immersive prologue. More info here.

Comedy Patio M FA > Free standup comedy comes to Grand Central Market this Wednesday in the form of The Comedy Patio, a showcase taking place at Maple Block. Jeff Buck hosts a lineup featuring . Free to attend, but donations happily accepted. Show starts at 7 p.m. More info here.

Taste of Downtown: Waterfront -> The Waterfront in Long Beach celebrates the 15th anniversary of Taste of Downtown this Wednesday-Thursday from 5 – 9 p.m. The event features special bites and drinks from local restaurants and vendors as well as live entertainment. Admission is free and one tasting ticket cost $1, tickets are also sold in packs of 15+ through Eventbrite. More info here.

All Space ConsideredFA > 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). Program runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free to attend. Get more info here.

All Out for Fallout Day TP > Fans of Amazon’s Fallout series—an adaptation of the beloved post-apocalyptic video game—are in for a treat as Amazon MGM Studios teams up with 33 local businesses for “All Out for Fallout Day” on Thursday, August 15. In a nod to Vault 33, a wide array of beloved spots are joining the celebration. The Window will dish out their signature double burgers for just 33 cents, Sweet Rose Creamery is scooping 33-cent ice cream, and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts is offering free Fallout-themed donuts. The event goes beyond bites, with Amazon partnering with Sunset Ranch for 33-cent “Guided Ghoul” horseback tours in Beachwood Canyon from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., showcasing stunning views, including the Griffith Park Observatory, a key location in the series. Plus, Los Angeles’ iconic vintage store, Wasteland, is offering 33% off select retro-inspired items. More info here.

JazzPOP at Hammer MuseumFA > The Hammer’s JazzPOP series continues its 17th season this Thursday with performance by Dan Rosenboom’s Polarity Quintet. Free to attend. Concerts kicks off at 8 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. More info here.

Sizzling Summer Nights at The Autry -> Every Thursday in August, The Autry museum hosts some of L.A.’s best salsa and Latin fusion bands with free salsa lessons, access to the museum galleries and a separate children’s dance floor. Admission cost $25 per person. More info here.

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Sunset Social: An Outdoor Comedy Show -> This Thursday at In The Meantime (514 North Hoover Street) a lineup of stellar comedians gathers to improvise hilaroius scenes based on audience suggestions. Guests include Lauren Lapkus (The Wrong Missy), Jon Gabrus (101 Places to Party Before You Die), Phil Jackson (Grand Crew creator), Jean Villipique (AP Bio), Carl Tart (Grand Crew, Brooklyn 99), Stephanie Weir (MadTV), and Crais Cackowski (Drunk History) will Tickets are $25. Open bar included! Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.

Sunset Music Series in Culver CityM FA > Culver City continues it’s summer-long series of outdoor concerts this Thursday with a night of world music featuring Sadubas & Friends plus Jeremy Sole’s World Music Discovery. Event starts at 7 p.m. All seating is first-come, first-served. Free to attend. More info here.

Dance DTLA at The Music CenterM FA > The Music Center’s Dance DTLA closes out summer with an evening of Disco this Friday, with instructors will be on hand to teach guests easy-to-follow steps, allowing everyone to get into the groove right from the jump. Event runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Free as always to attend More info here.

Friday Night Wine Tastings at Barnsdall ParkM > 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.

Lucha VaVoom de La Liz: Rumble in the Jungle -> Masked Mexican wrestling is back at The Mayan Theatre this Friday, as Lucha VaVoom de La Liz closes out summer with a spectacular night of lucha libre wrestling, burlesque, aerialists, comedy, music, and more. Tickets are $72. Show starts at 8 p.m. More info here.

Sunset Concerts at the Skirball FA > The Skirball Cultural Center’s annual Sunset Concert series comes to a close this Friday with a DJ dance party featuring Jauretsi and Tosstones. As with past concerts, the evening includes complimentary gallery access. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the party goes till 10 p.m. Free walk-up tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking is free too! More info here.

Zoo Friday Nights -> This Friday, the L.A. Zoo continues their summer series of weekly after-hours events, offering access the zoo grounds at the sunset hour while experiencing carousel rides, food delicious bites for purchase, beverages, DJ’d music, and a family dance party. Tickets start at $25 per adult. Runs 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.

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Grand PerformancesM FA > The summer of free programming at California Plaza continues this weekend with a pair evening events. On Friday, catch a night poetry show hosted by poet and writer Carribean Fragoza. Then on Saturday, check out a concert featuring headliner Madison McFerrin.

Dining & Drinking

(picks by Christina Champlin)
norma-west-hollywood-exterior
The exterior at Norma West Hollywood. Photo courtesy of Norma.

Happy Hour at Norma -> Norma in West Hollywood is the spot to hit on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, where their lounge transforms into a happy hour haven from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Enjoy discounted dishes alongside $8 wines by the glass and $12 cocktails. Among the must-tries are Chef Jason Fullilove’s Ginger Spiced Hot Fried Chicken and Norma’s signature Smash Burger, crafted with a short rib brisket blend patty, fontina cheese, pickles, onions, and a tangy burger sauce—both available for $18. More info here.

Parallel Palates -> In a culinary cross-cultural celebration, local Japanese curator and tea expert Tomoko Imade Dyen joins forces with Chef Debbie Lee of Joseon for an exclusive two-night dining event, “Parallel Palates.” Hosted at Joseon in Silver Lake, this unique experience showcases a thoughtfully curated multi-course tasting menu, where Japanese and Korean dishes are presented side by side, highlighting both the contrasts and common threads between the two cuisines. The evening culminates with one unifying dessert to tie the two cultures together. Tickets for the August 15 and 16 event are priced at $109 per person and can be secured through Resy. More info here.


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