Things To Do This Weekend in L.A. [8-12-2022 to 8-14-2022]

Okay folks… time to activate that weekend mindset.

This August 12-14 in Los Angeles, catch a free roller skating party at the Santa Monica Pier, Amazon’s FYC Fest, a Brew at the Zoo, Getty 25 in Crenshaw, the Nisei Week opening parade in Little Tokyo, Silents Under the Stars at Paramount Ranch, Rethinking Essential at MOLAA, Nathaniel Rateliff at The Bowl, and MUCH more. Your to-do list starts below!

Things To Do

Gimme Pink Roller Rink -> Benefit Cosmetics is hosting a free roller disco party all weekend long on the Santa Monica Pier. Held Friday through Sunday, the pop-up celebrates the launch of Benefit’s newest brow product, Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Pencil. Enjoy complimentary skate rentals or bring your own pair, then experience a brow bar and a cocktail bar hosted by Klarna (free cocktail when you download the app.) RSVP and secure a time slot here.

FYC Fest -> Amazon really wants you to know about the Prime Video series up for Emmy consideration this year, and this weekend they’re pulling out all the stops with three days of free events at three separate locations throughout L.A. Expect art installations, show-themed activations, DJ’d tunes, and food trucks on hand to sell bites to hungry guests. FYC Fest pops up on Friday in Sherman Oaks, Saturday in Santa Monica, and Sunday in West Hollywood. All events free to attend. No RSVP required. 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.

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.

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.

KCRW Summer Nights KCRW’s signature summer concert series continues this Saturday as it heads to to Descanso Gardens for an evening of DJ sets from Anthony Valadez and Jeremy Sole. See the full schedule and get more info here.

One Colorado Concerts -> Panamanian singer-songwriter Sofía Valdés comes to One Colorado in Old Pasadena for the final in a series of free summer concerts hosted by the outdoor retail space. A DJ opens the event at 8 p.m., with Valdés to perform at 9 p.m. No ticket required. Get more info here.

Pickwick Vintage Show -> Pickwick is back at ROW DTLA this Saturday for a one-day event featuring 70+ exhibitors from across California offering fine vintage clothing, jewelry, accessories, textiles, and more. Tickets range from $10-$20 depending on time of entry. Get more info here.

Getty 25 -> This summer, The Getty celebrates its 25th anniversary via a series of free pop-up community festivals held throughout Los Angeles County. Each event highlights curated experiences reflective of the host community, including interactive workshops, live music and performances, an artisan marketplace, food trucks, giveaways, photo booths, and more. The series continues this Saturday and Sunday in Crenshaw at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. More info here.

Picture This! -> L.A.’s only live animated comedy show Picture This! is back in Los Angeles this Saturday with a show at Permanent Records Roadhouse. The lineup includes well known comedians and animators, cartoonists, and other artists working together to produce a hilarious show. Get $10 pre-sale tickets here.

818 Night Market -> Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, 818 Night Market pops up on Devonshire Street in Mission Hills with an assortment of local vendors featuring food, collectibles, toys jewelry, and more. Free to attend. Runs 4 to 10 p.m. More info here.

Forbidden Planet at Norton Simon -> As part of their ongoing Alternate Reality film series, Norton Simon Museum screens the 1956 sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet this Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. The screening is included with museum admission, which starts at $15 for adults. More info here.

Nisei Week Japanese Festival -> This August 13-21, Little Tokyo hosts an nine-day celebration of Japanese and Japanese American heritage and traditions through a series of cultural exhibits and performances. The fun starts this weekend with the crowing of the 2022 Nisei Week Queen on Saturday, and a grand parade held on Sunday. More info here.

Unique Markets Annual Summer Market -> This Saturday and Sunday, DTLA’s California Market Center host Unique’s 13th annual Summer Market. Guests will be able to peruse over 140 local designers and small business vendors, all while enjoying DJ’d tunes and complimentary drinks. GA tickets start at $15, with $40 VIP passes available as well. Get more info here.

Family Fun Festival -> This Sunday, Creative Communal brings their Family Festival to 2nd & PCH in Long Beach for an afternoon affair featuring 35+ local makers, face painting for kids, and family friendly performances. Free to attend. Runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More info here.

Silents Under The Stars -> On Sunday, Santa Monica Mountains Fund’s Silents Under The Stars series screens Beverly of Graustark (1926) at Paramount Ranch, with musical accompaniment provided by Michael Mortilla. Walking tours of the ranch start at 6:30 p.m., film screens at 8 p.m. Free to attend with RSVP. More info here.

Rethinking Essential at MOLAA -> Oaxacan-born artist Narsiso Martinez debuts Rethinking Essential this Sunday at the Museum of Latina American Art in Long Beach. Martinez’s mixed media installations draw on his experience as a farm worker, and bring into the focus the often omitted or misrepresented stories of laborers who form the basis of our food supply chains. The artist will be on hand for a walkthrough of his works from 2 to 3 p.m. MOLAA offers free admission Sundays, and regular adult admission is $15. More info here.

Nathaniel Rateliff at The Bowl -> R&B-fused rock comes to the Bowl this Sunday as Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats take the stage alongside special opener Durand Jones & The Indications. Tickets are still available as low as $20 per seat. Get more info here.

Family Flicks -> The Hammer screens Haifaa al-Mansour’s Wadjda this Sunday at 11 a.m. as part of their Family Flicks series. Admission is free, no ticket required. More info here.

In Sheep’s Clothing Summer Market -> In Sheep’s Clothing will host a Summer Market this Sunday featuring Japonesia vendors and record vendors along with a curated selection of wine, beer and seafood by Homage Brewing and sushi by Whitefin Market.

Rose Bowl Flea Market -> Hundreds of vendors take over The Rose Bowl every second Sunday of the month. General admission is $12 for standard entry at 9 a.m., or (for the extra motivated shoppers) you can go in an as early as 5 a.m. for the VIP price of $20. More info here.

Dining & Drinking

Soulmate Never Ending Saturdays -> On Saturday, Soulmate in West Hollywood launches Never ending Saturdays, a brunch party featuring bottomless mimosas, party cocktails crafted by Noami Schmick, shareable platters, and new brunch items prepared by Chef Rudy Lopez. Expect decadent dishes such as a Pork Belly Benedict, Chorizo Hash, and Lobster BLT.A live DJ from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. will set the weekend mood and guests are encouraged to make reservations through OpenTable. 

Tattoos + BBQ For Abortion Access -> This Sunday, Eszett in Silver Lake hosts a tattoos and barbecue party to raise funds for Access Reproductive Justice. Tickets cost $125 per person, which includes a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Giuliana Sarto and Chef Mara Herbkersman, a welcome drink and a raffle for one tattoo on-site from tattoo artist Liz Kim. Tattoo’s will take place inside a 1984 Volkswagen Westfalia. 10 raffle winners will be notified before the party.

Bacanora Pop Up at Burgers 99 -> On Friday, Phoenix’s Bacanora is pops up for one night only at Burgers 99, bringing Sonoran comfort food to Los Angeles. James Beard-nominated chef Rene Andrade and his entire team will host a multi course feast centered around live fire cooking. The menu includes charred short ribs with burnt green onions; seared octopus with roasted potatoes and other Bacanora classics. Tickets for the dinner cost $100 per person.

Gracias Madre Cookbook Launch Party -> This Sunday enjoy an afternoon fiesta in celebration of Gracias Madre’s cookbook. The ticketed event cost $60 per person and includes passed bites of items from the cookbook, a welcome drink, a cocktail demo by Beverage Director Maxwell Reis, a copy of the cookbook to take home and a $25 gift card to Gracias Madre. 

Cocktail Fest at Eataly -> Eataly is currently hosting Cocktail Fest, a celebration of Italian cocktail culture now until August 21 at Terra located on the rooftop of the complex. Milan’s very own Camparino in Galleria has created three special summer cocktails that start at just $10 each. Salute!

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