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Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).
This weekend in L.A. from Friday, October 18 to Sunday, October 20 features Ace Hotel 20th Anniversary Party, P-22 Day, L.A. Beer and Food Festival, Pumpkin Festival, Wicked Lit, Sherman Oaks Street Fair and MUCH more.
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Remember you can always go to our L.A. events calendar page to get an updated rundown of what’s happening around the city.
Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your weekend!
Keep in mind that while we retain complete editorial control of our content, for some of the ticketing options provided we utilize affiliate links and receive a commission if you purchase through our links.
Friday October 18th, 2019
1. Estrella Jalisco and Wisdome LA come together for A New Día, an immersive art installation inside four geodesic domes that reimagines and celebrates the Day of the Dead.
2. The Skirball presents Through A Different Lens: Stanley Kubrick Photography opening October 17. Before he became one of the most prolific directors of our time he was a 17-year old man who in 1945 sold his first photograph to the magazine Look. The public will see photos, many of them unpublished all exposing New York life through the eyes of Kubrick. The exhibit closes March 8, 2020.
3. Ace Hotel Celebrates their 20th Anniversary on Friday by throwing a party at the majestic Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown L.A. The lineup includes Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, performance artist serpentwithfeet, and experimental artist Zola Jesus. The party keeps going with an after party with DJ tunes. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Urban Artworks, Sanctuary Art Center and Art Corps, three Seattle-based non-profit organizations supporting the growth of young artists and creative entrepreneurs.
4. The currently under construction Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park, presents Lucas Nights: The Art of the Card—Tarot and Lotería. The evening will feature tarot and Lotería card making, conversations, tarot readings, Lotería games, raffles, a DJ, food trucks, and a cash bar. This is a 21+ event. FREE
5. Now in its third year, Haunted Little Tokyo is filling one of Los Angeles’ most historic and exciting neighborhoods with tricks and treats. Activities will span the whole month of October and include film screenings, a pumpkin patch, a block party and a trick or treat night.
6. The Second City will host the Los Angeles Diversity in Comedy Festival from October 17-20 celebrating performers of diverse backgrounds across race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity through performances, panels, and workshops.
7. Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood presents their annual Halloween iteration of Urban Death Tour of Terror. Guests will wind through a short maze before entering a darkened theater where series of disturbing vignettes will be presented one after another. The show runs October 4 to November 2, Fridays and Saturdays plus Halloween night. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
8. Get up close and personal with sharks at the Aquarium of the Pacific during Shark Lagoon Nights. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and view large sharks in an after hours setting. FREE
9. Street Food Cinema’s Halloween-themed series at Downtown’s Million Dollar Theatre continues their month long residency with a screening of SAW. Guests are allowed to bring food to the screening and backstage ghost tours for $12 is also available.
10. Want to celebrate Halloween early? Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights has been spooking crowds for over 25 years, the park employs the industry’s best special effects to bring pop cultures most famous movies and shows to life. Mazes include Stranger Things, Walking Dead and the new Ghostbusters experience. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
11. The Roots and Wings Project joins forces with the California Arts Council to present LUMINOUS STREETS, an immersive theatrical experience that takes the audience through the Downtown Los Angeles Historic Core including spots like The Last Bookstore and King Eddy’s Saloon with stories that center on women’s survival and pursuit of justice. Happening October 18 through November 10
12. The Fairplex transform into a German playground for Oktoberfest on October 4-19 Fridays and Saturdays. Expect Bavarian music, chicken dancing, bratwurst and pretzels while knocking back some authentic German beers. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
13. The Sivley family is back for their 48th year of hosting the award winning, Beware the Dark Realm a haunted house experience in the city of Santa Clarita. The haunt will run every Friday and Saturday thorough the end of the month. FREE
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14. The Mixing Room at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE will transform their outdoor patio into an Oktoberfest Biergarten every Friday night this month. Sam Adams and Angel City will be pouring brews and Bavarian eats like Currywurst Sausage, Chicken Wiener Schnitzel, large soft pretzels and Smoked Beer Bratwurst are on the Biergarten menu. There will be plenty of Oom-pah music and festive decorations to make you feel like your in Munich. Festivities start at 5 p.m. no reservations required and all are welcome to supply their own lederhosen. The Oktoberfest Biergarten is open every Friday and on select Saturdays (October 19 and October 26.) Prost!
15. Don’t Tell Comedy pops up in Mar Vista and Santa Monica this weekend at secret locations with some of the biggest names in comedy. Performers are kept under wraps and the location will be emailed to all ticket holders. BYOB!
16. Malibu Wine Safaris launched a Haunted Nights Tour this month promising “otherworldly dimensions, haunted forests, psychedelic sci-fi tunnels and beyond.” Tickets are available for Friday and Sunday this week.
17. Constitution Happy Hour at AMMO at The Hammer continues this Friday with guided, topical conversations about the US Constitution and its role in our democracy.
18. Alpine Village Oktoberfest returns this Friday with traditional Bavarian fun like Oom Pah Pah party bands, German fare, and delicious cold German beers. Oktoberfest runs Fridays through Sundays October 4 – 27.
19. Odd Nights At The Autry feature a collection of over 200 vendors, 20 gourmet food trucks, a beer garden, custom handmade treasures and live local bands. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
20. Knott’s Scary Farm is back with their signature haunted attractions, mazes and thousands of monsters ready to scare the living day light out of you and your crew. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
Saturday October 19th, 2019
21. The two-day Pumpkin Festival in Brookside Park is annually attended by an estimated 20,000 people each year. Attendees enjoy plenty of family-friendly activities including a pumpkin patch, festival games, crafts, pony rides, a petting zoo, bouncers, and more. Admission to the festival is free, with a paid tickets required for festival food and activities.
22. P-22 Day Festival in Griffith Park is an annual celebration of the big cat who crossed two freeways and won the hearts of Angelenos. Now in its fourth year, festivities include plenty of exhibits and activities, including a P-22 photo booth, a virtual reality experience of a wildlife crossing, meet-and-greets with Ranger Rick, an urban wildlife garden installation, live music, and much more. FREE
23. Unbound Productions’ site-specific Wicked Lit returns to the Mountain View Mausoleum, offering the perfect setting for all new tales of horror. This year, guests can choose from two theatrical productions on Saturday. Both are dark adaptations with select scenes from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Monkey’s Paw, Body Snatchers and more. Guests will walk through the mausoleum as they follow the chilling tales.
24. Enjoy a bit of spooky fall family fun at Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in Culver City all week. Don’t forget to snap that iconic picture in front of the pumpkin house!
25. Partake in a Forest Bathing experience at The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, this walk will be led by a certified guide who will assist you in finding ways to interact with the land at the arboretum. Each walk features a tea ceremony with tea made from plants foraged on site and some healthy snacks.
26. The All My Friends Music Festival is coming to Downtown Los Angeles with two days of live music and performances. Hosted at The ROW on Oct. 19-20, the festival features some of the hottest performers of this decade. The lineup includes a DJ set by Justice, Diplo b2b Mk, Busy P and more.
27. There’s a BURGERDADDY pop-up happening at West Adams cafe Highly Likely this Saturday as part of its #octoburgerfest event. Bite into cheeseburgers made with grass-fed beef ground in-house at Standing’s Butchery. The menu will also include sides like fries, a special HiLi market slaw and even soft serve. The pop-up runs 5-9 p.m.
28. The Natural History Museums latest exhibit dives into the scientific inspiration behind some of Hollywoods most terrifying creatures. “Natural History of Horror” opens October 10, 2019 through April 19, 2020 and will include rare movie props, film footage, activities and museum specimens.
29. Los Angeles Haunted Hayride will unify under one theme this year Midnight Falls a fictional town in 1985 filled with macabre characters. Check out the Roadkill Ranch on the outskirts of town; Trick or Treat in a ghoulish neighborhood; drop by the local mortuary, or engage in mini-escape games. Of course, the centerpiece remains the hayride, which will take guests straight to the hellish portal from which the town’s nightmares escape. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
30. The free Beverly Hills artSHOW happening on October 19-20 will showcase over 200 artists ranging from pantings and sculptures to ceramics and jewelry on display across four blocks. FREE
31. Drunken Devil’s Halloween party Black Magic takes guests back to the Golden Age of Magic. Mingle with charismatic magicians while unraveling the secrets of Old Hollywood’s dark dabblings in the occult. Drink themed cocktails, enjoy live entertainment, including tarot readers and burlesque, and dance your heart out—assuming no one removes it to sacrifice to an ancient deity, of course.
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32. The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild present the 3rd annual L.A. Beer and Food Festival at the L.A. County Arboretum. An intimate tasting experience under the stars, the event features 50 independent craft breweries, over 100 unique brews, complimentary bites from local businesses, live entertainment, educational talks centered around beer, fermentation, and California plant-life, plus special group tours of the Arboretum Library.
33. Celebrate International Archaeology Day at King Gillette Ranch. Activities include a dig up of “artifacts,” Native American performances, atlatl spear throwing and more. FREE
34. The South Pasadena Arts Crawl is an all ages free event featuring art exhibitions, activities, live music, open houses, food and drink specials throughout the business district on Mission Street, and adjacent blocks. FREE
35. After nearly one year, Jewish female artist Laurie Shapiro’s sukkot-like rainbow-colored installation ALCHEMY TUNNEL is now ready to debut at multimedia Los Angeles gallery Radiant Space. Special events including sound baths, yoga classes, meals, talks, and performances curated by Olivia Mia Orozco will all occur inside the installation on select days. The installation will open for public viewing on Saturdays starting October 12. FREE
36. Head to the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens for Boo at the Zoo on any Saturday or Sunday during the month of October for a large assortment of seasonal activities for the whole family.
37. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with three screening events. Ghostbusters, Bram Stokers Dracula, Psycho, The Thing all screened outdoors at iconic locations. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
38. At the 11th Annual Los Angeles Printers Fair (October 19-20) celebrate the paper arts with handmade paper, cards, posters, opportunity for personal, custom prints and more with featured artist Jessica Spring.
39. The Haunted 2: Welcome Foolish Mortals is an art exhibit inspired by places like the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. Marvel at creepy animatronic works alongside paintings, sculptures, and jewelry. Happening at The Hive Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles the exhibit will run October 6 through November 3 and is free to view. FREE
40. HUSHfest brings their popular Silent Disco series to the Santa Monica Pier this Saturday with a Prince vs David Bowie night.
41. There’s a daily Great Pumpkin Hunt happening at the South Coast Botanic Garden featuring an imaginative scavenger hunt, light hiking, a pumpkin shop and access to the gorgeous 87-acre grounds. Great for families. Halloween costumes are welcome.
42. Creep L.A. presents the fifth installment of HAUS OF CREEP an immersive 75-minute experience that takes guests in a bizarre world where reality and performance art blur in a very dark way. HAUS OF CREEP will run from September 13 through November 3 on all weekends with some weeknights available.
43. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley will host an Ice Cream Social and Family Fun day with a classic car show, games, arts & crafts, free ice cream and more. There will be a special presentation about the “First People of the San Fernando Valley.” FREE
44.Nights of the Jack, a half mile trail completely filled with thousands of pop culture inspired hand-carved illuminated Jack O’Lanterns returns to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas October 3 through November 3 for a spooktacular family friendly event.
45. Reign of Terror is one of the largest haunted houses you can attend, and it grows bigger every year. This year promises 115 rooms, encompassing nine different themes, each one connected to the last. Themes include Infected, Asylum, Miner’s Revenge, Fun House, the all-new Containment and more. There’s also a new experience called the Widow’s Den where one should “avoid being wrapped up.” We can only assume that means spiders. Special events include a Lights-On tour ($5), for those who would prefer to see the sets without all the scares, and a Lights-Out, for those who’d prefer to navigate the maze with a single glow stick per group.
Sunday October 20th, 2019
46. The 29th Annual Sherman Oaks Street Fair is San Fernando Valley’s largest single day event. Enjoy a plethora of activities and offerings, including a zip line, a ferris wheel, food trucks, live performances and over 200 vendors. FREE
47. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor returns with six terrifying mazes, including the brand new Rogue, in which the crew either is (or isn’t?) working to save the capsized vessel you’re trapped aboard. Nightly entertainment, rides, roaming monsters, and themed lounges round out Dark Harbor’s offerings. Happening September 26 through November 2. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
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48. Take your pet Guinea Pig to The Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue Fall Festival! The event includes food, music, adoptions, vendors, guinea pig supplies, music, tours of Farralone Farms, speakers, free guinea pig health checks and nail clips. This event is free.
49. The Norton Simon Museum will host a Fall Family Festival with the theme of time-travel. Highlights include workshops by 826LA, music and story time.
50. Pumpkin Nights feature thousands of carved pumpkins across several pumpkin-themed lands accompanied with special holiday activities. Happening October 10 through November 3.
51. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood continues their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre with a screenings of Gremlins this Sunday.
52. Artist Maximillian’s popular horror-themed pop-up I Like Scary Movies returns for Halloween season September 20 through November 17. The detailed and beautiful series of installations is a love letter from the artist to iconic horror films like The Lost Boys, Beetlejuice, and The Shining. Runs Wednesday through Sundays. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
53. Hello Kitty Friends Around the World Tour celebrates Hello Kitty’s 45-year anniversary with a multi-room, sensory-rich, brilliant walk-through adventure from September 20 through October 20. The 10,000-square-foot pop-up takes you aboard ‘Hello Kitty Air’ to virtually visit London, Paris, New York, Honolulu, and Tokyo.
Food Pick for the Week
This week’s pick by Christina Champlin, Co-Founder of We Like L.A.
West Hollywood gets its first-ever Eat + Drink Week October 18-27. Presented by the West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board, the inaugural event features dozens of the city’s top eateries plus the creative mixology scene and late-night options. Participants include Cattle & Claw, BOA Steakhouse, Employees Only LA, E.P. L.P., Fresh Sunset, Gracias Madre and more. A portion of proceeds from the restaurant reservations made through Open Table link on the Eat + Drink Week site will benefit Project Angel Food. View more information on the debut event here.
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