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Where will your weekend take you? No idea yet? Well, we have a few humble suggestions.
From August 9-11 in Los Angeles, catch the Ivy Station Night Market, the Natsumatsuri Family Festival, Running of the Bullies at Benny Boy, Roll @ Santa Monica, Boomyard Afro-Caribbean Day Party, Khruangbin at The Bowl, FoLAR’s River Fest, and much more. Check out all the options in our guide below!
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Make Metro Part of Your Weekend
Nisei Week Japanese Festival – M FA > Starting this weekend, Little Tokyo hosts a week-long celebration of Japanese and Japanese American heritage and traditions through a series of cultural exhibits and performances, a grand parade and a plaza festival. The festivities kick off this Saturday, coinciding with the free Natsumatsuri Family Festival at Japanese American National Museum (11 a.m. to 5 p.m). Saturday’s entertainment includes performances by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko and East LA Taiko, craft stations, interactive story time and games. Get more info here.
Go Metro: Take the A or E Line to Little Tokyo Station
Things To Do This Weekend
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Ivy Station Night Market – M FA TP > Ivy Station’s Friday night market returns with a themed edition of 90s/’00s fun their monthly activation, including 30+ local vendors, food trucks, craft beer, games, and era-specific jams. Dog friendly too! Runs 5 to 10 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Summer of Salsa – M FA > The LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Summer of Salsa series continues this Friday with a performance by Son Miron. Doors open at 6 p.m., and music starts at 7 p.m. Always free to attend. More info here.
Sunset Swim at Annenberg Community Beach House -> This Friday, take a swim in the historic pool of the former oceanfront estate of actress Marion Davies. Enjoy the water, hang out with friends, and make new ones poolside. S’mores and pool floaties will be provided. Access costs $10 per person (ages 18-59) and $5 for anyone over 60. More info here.
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Dance DTLA at The Music Center – M FA > The Music Center’s Dance DTLA hosts an evening of Hip Hop 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 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.
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 Clayton Cameron Sextet. 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.
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.
Wellness Community Market -> On Saturday, head to Compound, Long Beach’s newest artist-led cultural complex and non-profit, for a full day of complimentary wellness experiences. Explore a community market highlighting local and regional vendors, gain insights at the “Healing Practitioner Talk,” and rejuvenate with a Kundalini Yoga/Meditation class and a soothing Sound Bath/Healing Circle. More info here.
Endless Summer C.A.M.P. – M FA > Santa Monica’s second annual Endless Summer C.A.M.P. series brings four weeks of family-friendly entertainment to Tongva Park, celebrating everything from world music and dance to puppetry and animal ambassadors. This Saturday, the fun continues with performances by Mariachi Los Catrines and Los Straitjackets. The free programs runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Benny Boy Brewing Txotx Festa & Running of the Bullies – TP > This Saturday, Benny Boy Brewing is set to host its third annual cider party. The Txotx Festa event honors the northern Spanish tradition of tapping barrels to release a continuous stream of cider, allowing guests in line to relish the experience. Each $15 ticket includes three rounds of 5 oz. pours from 5 to 8 p.m. Alongside this celebration of cider, attendees can grab food from pop-up vendors and catch Benny Boy’s inaugural bulldog race from 4 to 5 p.m. Small and medium-sized bulldogs are invited to race with a $10 entry. More info here.
Roll @ Santa Monica -> A new pop-up skating park “rolls” in Santa Monica this weekend and is scheduled to remain open through October 14. For this Saturday, the Grand Opening Celebration (3 to 6 p.m.) features music, skate performances and entertainment with LA Skate Hunnies. Throughout the season, you can catch tehemd 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. Regular admission is $15, which also include skate rental. More info here.
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LACMA Latin Sounds – FA > LACMA is bringing a series of evening, outdoor concerts at Dorothy Collins Brown Amphitheater (just north of the La Brea Tar Pits Museum) in celebration of the exhibition Painting in the River of Angels: Judy Baca and The Great Wall. This Saturday, the series continues with Nobresil. Latin Sounds concerts are free to attend, and run 5 to 7 p.m. More info here.
Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles Concerts – M FA > Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles continues this Saturday with an evening of reggae featuring The Wailing Souls, DJ Boss Harmony, and the Dub Club MCs presented by the Dub Club. Concert runs 7 to 10 p.m. Free to attend, as always. More info here.
Marina del Rey Summer Concerts – FA > MDR’s free summer concert series continues at Burton Chace Park this Saturday with a performance by Marina del Rey Symphony accompanied by a live chorus playing compositions from popular films including The Lion King, Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, and more. As with other events in the series, admission is free but entry will close after the park reaches capacity (first-come, first-served). Music starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
Khruangbin at The Bowl -> Texas-based Khruangbin performs a pairs of show this Saturday and Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl, bringing their jammie blend of classic soul, dub, rock and psychedelia to the stage as part of the the 2024 KCRW Festival. Unmortal Orchestra will open each night as well. Tickets available for as low as $27. More info here.
FoLAR’s Third Annual River Fest – M FA TP > This Sunday, Friends of the LA River (FoLAR) invites the public to River Fest a free, all-ages event featuring live performances by local artists, a visual art gallery, a vendor marketplace, eco-friendly family activities, and food trucks. Ticket registration is required to enjoy all the complimentary festivities. More info here.
Sip n’ Skate in Long Beach – FA > On Sunday, SunSip (Healthade’s prebiotic soda brand) is sponsoring a free day of throwback skating fun at Pigeon’s Roller Rink in Long Beach. In addition to complimentary skate sessions, expect a live DJ, roller-entertainment by Dance Skate, a mini arcade, a merch bar, and puppies meet-and-greets to help raise money for Pups Without Borders. Runs 1 to 5 p.m. Get more info here.
Boomyard Afro-Caribbean Day Party – FA TP > This Sunday, Boomyard Brewery hails the return of their Afro Caribbean Day Party at Delicious Pizza in West Adams. Party goers can expect live performances and DJ sets along with food and bites including erk Chicken from Jonkanoo Kitchen, Patties from Patty Daddy, Pizza from Delicious Pizza, and Rum Punch at the Boomyard Bar. Free to attend. Runs 4 to 9 p.m. More info here.
Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome -> On Sunday, Mount Wilson Observatory continues its 2024 season of classical concerts hosted inside the historic 100-inch telescope dome, where the acoustics are said to be some of the finest in the world. This month, Rogue Lemon Collective brings a multi-genre performance to the stage. There will be two shows, one at 3 p.m. and the other at 5 p.m., with a reception sandwiched in between. Tickets are $60. More info here
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Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
The Rose Venice’s 45th Anniversary Specials -> Celebrate The Rose Venice‘s 45th anniversary with a special seafood experience crafted by Chef Ray Garcia. Indulge in seafood towers featuring a medley of Mariscos, including oysters with an aji amarillo mignonette, Peruvian scallops in tomatillo yuzu water, Leche de Tigre, and Bluefin Tuna Crudo. Seafood towers are available for 1-2 people at $45 or for 3-4 people at $79, symbolizing 45 years in business and the year 1979 when The Rose Venice was established. Pair the meal with a curated list of wines by the bottle, also priced to match the anniversary theme. The anniversary menu will be available for 45 days from August 8 through September 21.
A Summer Luau at Gladstones -> This Saturday, make your way to Gladstones in Malibu for a summer luau. Enjoy a $15 special luau menu featuring Kalua Pork, Pulled Pork Sliders, Sticky Ribs, and Huli Huli Chicken, along with tropical beverages like Mai Tais served in pineapples and Piña Coladas in coconuts. Live hula performances, fire dancing, Hawaiian music, and a live set by the Royal Rats will keep things entertaining. Guests sporting Hawaiian shirts and Aloha attire will receive a ticket redeemable for freebies such as a luau plate, a beverage, or ice cream. Plus, Fluffy McCloud’s will be offering tropical artisanal ice cream from 2-6 p.m. No tickets are required to attend and this event is open to all ages. More info here.
Lunetta’s New Summer Tasting Menu -> This week, Lunetta in Santa Monica introduces its new tasting menu, “Cuisines of the Sun,” available for $68 per person. The experience begins with an amuse-bouche, followed by a variety of market inspired shared plates for the table, including a Greek Salad, melon with prosciutto, white bean hummus to grilled peaches drizzled with chestnut honey, and baked olives. For the main course, guests can choose between two enticing options: Wood-Grilled Swordfish accompanied by grilled calamari, rock shrimp, citrus, and pickled Fresno chili, or Fire-Roasted Lamb Kabob served with tzatziki and a wild herb salad. The meal concludes with a Berry Panna Cotta. To complement the seasonal menu, a curated selection of Mediterranean wines is offered by the glass or bottle. The “Cuisines of the Sun” menu is available through August 16.
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