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Things To Do This Weekend in Los Angeles [1-31-2025 to 2-2-2025]

The Huntington's Chinese Garden
The Huntington’s Chinese Garden. Photo by Christina Champlin.

The Year of the Snake has arrived, and Los Angeles is embracing it in full force this weekend.

From January 31 to February 2 in L.A., you’ll find Lunar New Year celebrations at USC Pacific Asia Museum, The Huntington, and South Coast Botanic Garden, plus Shark Lagoon Nights at the Aquarium of the Pacific, a day of gratitude at the Skirball, a Whale Fiesta at Marine Cabrillo Aquarium, an Art Bazaar at Beyond the Streets, and more.

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Make Metro Part of Your Weekend

Lunar New Year at UPAMM FA TP > This Saturday USC Pacific Asia Museum celebrates Lunar New Year with free admission to the museum, plus special activities including a lion dance, storytelling, calligraphy, crafts, food trucks, and a special musical performance by opera soprano Shirley Wang. You can also get complimentary tea from Callisto Tea House! Runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.

Go Metro: Take the A Line to Memorial Park Station

Things To Do This Weekend

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

Shark Lagoon NightsFA > Free Shark Lagoon Nights are back at the Aquarium of the Pacific for 2025 starting this Friday, offering guests the chance to get up close and personal with the Aquarium’s shark roster, including the opportunity to touch smaller sharks such as bamboo sharks. You will also see rays and large sharks in the Aquarium’s Shark Lagoon. Free to to attend and no RSVP required. Runs 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.

The NDA ShowM > This Friday at The Crow, enjoy a night of comedy exploring the trials and torments of working in film and tv production. Contractually, the slated comedians probably aren’t supposed to tell these stories… but they will anyway! Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.85 More info here.

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Emotionally Available Improv M FA > Is part of your 2025 plan to become a bit more in touch with your emotions. Launch that journey with a few laughs via a free performance of Emotionally Available Improv, popping up at Lawless Brewing on the last final Friday of January. Starts at 7 p.m. in the Game Room. Free to attend. More info here.

Fire Kinship at the Fowler Museum FA TP > The Fowler’s second PST Art exhibition, Fire Kinship, could not arrive at a more timely and dramatic moment in Los Angeles history. The exhibition posits a counter-narrative around the use of fire that seeks a return to Native practices in which fire is regarded as a vital aspect of land stewardship, community well-being, and tribal sovereignty.  Fire Kinship includes installations, objects, videos, documents and multimedia works that explore Native communities’ ongoing partnership with the land, and inspire visitors to rethink attitudes of fear and illegality around fire. The exhibition opened this week and remains on view through July 13, 2025 and is free to visit. The Fowler Museum is free to visit Wednesday to Sunday. Get more info here.

Chinese New Year Festival at The Huntington TP > On Saturday and Sunday, celebrate the Year Of The Snake in and around The Huntington’s gorgeous Chinese Garden, alongside of an array of traditional entertainment. Enjoy lion dancers, mask-changing performances, martial arts demonstrations, live music, arts and craft demos, and dining specials throughout the two-day event. Tickets start at $29 for adults. More info here.

BEYOND THE STREETS Art Bazaar: Honoring LA’s Creative SpiritFA > This Saturday and Sunday, BEYOND THE STREETS, in partnership with Tlaloc Studios and curator Ozzie Juarez are bringing 30+ creatives together for an two-day art market and community event. Expect a range of apparel, books, zines, ceramics, music, food, and exclusive new products on offer, with 100% of the proceeds going to local artists. Free to attend. Runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. More info here.

Shanghai NightsFA > Benny Boy Brewing hosts Shanghai Nights this Saturday, a Lunar New Year celebration, featuring a multi-lingual performance by Jessica Fichot featuring a songbook of 1940s Mandarin Chinese jazz tunes, Mandopop, iconic multilingual songs, and celebratory Chinese New Year classics. Runs 6 to 9 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.

Barbie: You Can Be Anything -> Beginning this Saturday, Barbie: You Can Be Anything arrives at Discovery Cube Los Angeles with a traveling exhibit which showcases a variety of career dolls from the past six decades and highlights female Role Models who have broken boundaries. Kids can get hands-on using touchscreen interactives, themed role-play environments, and photo opportunities. It’s all included with general admission, which starts at $20 for adults and $17 for kids 3-14. More info here.

Skate Oddity -> Skate Oddity celebrates David Bowie’s birthday with a Rock N Rollerdisco Party this Saturday. Come dressed up as your fave version of Bowie and skate the night away to a soundtrack of Bowie, glam, goth, 80’s, synth, and rock and roll. The event takes place at the LA Kings Burbank Sports Center from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets to skate start at $23.18.

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San Gabriel Lunar Lantern Festival FA > The San Gabriel Lunar Lantern Festival takes over the San Gabriel Mission District this Saturday and Sunday with beautiful lantern displays, live cultural performances, street food, and vendor booths. The event is free to attend. Starts at 10 a.m. on both days. More info here.

Lunar New Year Celebration at South Coast Botanic Garden -> The South Coast Botanic Garden celebrates Lunar New Year every weekend in February. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Garden will host a flurry of activities and present live performances at 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. featuring including lion dancers, folk dancers and drummers. Free with garden admission, which starts at $15 for adults. More info here.

Whale FiestaFA > This Sunday, the annual Whale Fiesta at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium offers a day of family fun featuring special activities and exhibits, games, arts and crafts, puppet shows, marine awareness organizations, expert guest lecturers, music and a life-size pod of inflatable whales. Runs 10 to 3 p.m. Free and open to the public. More info here.

Skirball Presents Roots and Renewal: Honoring the New Year of the TreesFA > This Sunday, the Skirball Cultural Center hosts a free day of gratitude, healing, learning, and community in recognition of the Jewish New Year of the Trees. Programming includes artist-led talks, a curated Tu B’Shevat experience, food samples, guided campus walks, panel discussions, art making, and more. Runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More info here.

Arcadia Lunar New Year FestivalFA > On Sunday, Downtown Arcadia celebrates the Lunar New Year with a day-long event featuring Lion Dance Performances, special food options, arts and crafts, a big red envelope giveaway, and a special donation drive to support Arcadia teachers, staff, and families who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The event is free to attend and runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More info here.

Lunar New Year at Runway Playa VistaFA > This Sunday, Runway Playa Vista’s Lunar New Year celebration include live performances, traditional arts and crafts, 15+ local vendors, and fun raffles. The event runs from 10:30 to 3:30 p.m. Free admission. More info here.

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Dining & Drinking

(picks by Christina Champlin)
dahlia-lunar-new-year-afternoon-tea
A Lunar New Year inspired afternoon tea tower at Dahlia. Photo courtesy of Dahlia.

Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea at Dahlia -> Dahlia, the intimate cocktail bar inside Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, celebrates Lunar New Year with a limited-time afternoon tea experience, running the weekends of January 31–February 2 and February 7–9. Executive Chef Tiffany Dela Peña crafts a seasonal menu featuring inventive bites like Shrimp Toast and Fried Purple Sticky Rice with wagyu beef bacon, alongside classics such as Spring Rolls and Asian Chicken Salad. Pastry Chef Irene Widjaya showcases her expertise with indulgent treats, including Chocolate Praline Tarts, Strawberry Blondies, Pear Pomegranate Marshmallows, and Spiced Blood Orange Macarons. TEALEAVES curates a selection of teas for the occasion, offering Organic Jasmine Pearl white tea, Imperial Dragon Well black tea, Osmanthus Oolong, and a special “Mocha Mousse” tea inspired by 2025’s Pantone Color of the Year, blending cocoa, cinnamon, dandelion root, and vanilla. The experience costs $75 per person, with reservations available via OpenTable. More info here.

Lunar New Year at Thunderbolt -> Thunderbolt’s annual Lunar New Year celebration returns for 2025 with an all-star lineup of guest bartenders shaking up creative cocktails featuring Rémy Cointreau and iichiko Shochu. The festivities kick off this Sunday at 5 p.m. with a high-energy performance by the East Wind Lion Dance Troupe, followed by a rotating lineup of guest bartender shifts throughout the evening. A portion of the night’s proceeds will support Habitat for Humanity, making every sip count. More info here.

Crustacean Lunar New Year Brunch -> Crustacean Beverly Hills rings in the Lunar New Year with a festive brunch this Sunday, featuring dim sum served from traditional carts and a special “Heaven & Earth Prosperity Good Luck” menu. The à la carte lineup includes indulgent bites like Money Bag Shumai, Salt and Pepper Crispy Quail, Caviar Fried Chicken, Poached Sea Bass, and Uni Garlic Noodles topped with 24K gold. For a sweet finish, “The Snake” Shortcake makes a striking appearance. Adding to the celebration, guests can enjoy a live lion dance performance and receive red envelopes for good luck. Reservations can be made through Resy. More info here.


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