Things to do in L.A. this weekend

In a world of lies (and, these days, alternative facts), the only thing we can rely on is Shakira’s hips. Watch them shake with precision when the Colombian superstar returns for a stop at SoFi Stadium (rescheduled from her slated date at the Forum).

Walk, run, skate, bike and explore car-free stretches of South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel during the latest edition of this open streets event series (formerly known as 626 Golden Streets). The Metro-presented Active Streets clears cars off the road in different parts of the San Gabriel Valley for one day only. On Sunday, June 22, you’ll be able to set foot on five miles of streets sans cars, from Mission Street in South Pasadena, down Marengo Avenue and along Alhambra Road, Main Street and Las Tunas Drive toward Mission Drive in San Gabriel (hence the “Mission at Twilight” name of this particular event).

Shop local at this celebration of small businesses, held not in Venice but in downtown Mar Vista, along Venice Boulevard. The arts and music festival brings together over 300 local brands and artists three times a year, attracting some 100,000 shoppers. The summer edition will kick off with a free morning yoga class. You’ll also find live music, art installations and food trucks on Venice between Centinela Avenue and Inglewood Boulevard. The fest is free and pet-friendly. Meanwhile, a ticketed beer garden features an open bar, games, lounges and cabanas, and part of the proceeds go to nonprofit Nourish LA.

Santa Monica illuminates the Third Street Promenade with a canopy of rainbow lights as part of this citywide LGBTQ+ celebration. Look out for a party along the expanse of the Promenade on June 21 with music, games, drinks and giveaways (2–7pm). Nearby, you’ll find drag bingo at Main Street Beer Garden (3–6pm). Over at the Santa Monica Pier, the day begins with a family-friendly morning of drag storytelling and face painting presented by the Crow comedy club at 10am. And from 11am to 5pm, you can try practice your sporting skills with open-format beach volleyball, as well as mini kickball, dodgeball, soccer, football, tennis and cornhole tournaments. 

The day after free SaMo Pride is this ticketed daylong dance party at the pier, with sets by live performers and DJs (the lineup has yet to be announced) taking place amid the rides and games of Pacific Park. Show up early (before 3pm) if you want to save on tickets. A portion of proceeds will support victims of the 2025 wildfires, as well as the Santa Monica Queer Prom.

Annenberg Community Beach House’s historic public pool—just steps from the sand of Santa Monica Beach—hosts this inclusive swim for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies that promises a safe and judgment-free space for all bodies. Grab a pool float and take a dip in the pool, then afterward warm up with some s‘mores. Show up early for a Pride happy hour at the on-site Back on the Beach Café (5–7pm).

Bergamot Station’s inclusive comedy club, the Crow, hosts this family-friendly Pride event filled with music, stand-up and storytelling. The programming on June 21 kicks off with “Fabulous Fables” at 10am, with drag queen and king storytelling, face painting, dancing and a family pride parade at the Santa Monica Pier. That evening at the Crow, “Pull My Finger” is a “super silly and high energy show” for the whole family at 5pm. Ending the night are two “Storyectomy Family Pride” shows, where LGBTQ+ community members and allies will get their personal and comedic stories out alongside pro comedians (7pm and 9pm).

One of the most adaptable songwriters of his generation, Elvis Costello has recorded soul, punk, folk, country reggae and pop, in addition to collaborating with legendary songwriters like Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach. To this day, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee maintains a steady stream of new releases and regular live dates, including this appearance, backed by his band, the Imposters.

The Getty Center’s new featured exhibition explores the transformative role photography has played in the history of the LGBTQ+ community as a tool for exploring gender, sexuality and self-expression since the mid-1800s. See examples of the homosocial, homoerotic and homosexual imagery that helped shape the world’s awareness of queer life. During your visit, be sure to check out the accompanying exhibition “$3 Bill: Evidence of Queer Lives,” a look at the contributions of LGBTQ+ artists in the last century, in the museum’s Research Institute Galleries. 

Listen to choral covers of tracks by Madonna, Lady Gaga, ABBA, Dua Lipa and Donna Summer plus tunes from musicals including Singin’ in the Rain and Hairspray during this Pride Month concert from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The group’s concert and gala at Beverly Hills’ Saban Theatre also includes appearances from Kristine W and Bruce Vilanch.

Support Pasadena’s resilient restaurant scene and enjoy some delicious food at this new culinary festival, which will transform Union Street between Raymond and Fair Oaks Avenues into a big, pedestrian-friendly alfresco dining room. In fact, the fair is also a celebration of the street’s newly expanded outdoor dining spaces. Groove to live music from local bands as you order fare from Pez Coastal Kitchen, Union, Bone Kettle, Chado Tea Room, the Blind Donkey, Pie ’N Burger and more. You can also expect DJs, a beer garden, and games like tic-tac-toe basketball, cornhole and French fry Jenga (which I didn’t know was a thing but now need to try).

Opera fans and those who take their Halloween costumes very seriously will want to check out this costume sale boasting ornate garments, accessories, jewelry, shoes, masks and more. For the first time in 10 years, the LA Opera is opening its closet to the public. Find everything from exquisitely detailed period gowns to striking suits of armor crafted by the company’s costume team. For the first pick, early entry is available on Friday for a fee; otherwise, show up to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday to browse looks from the likes of The Tales of Hoffmann, La Traviata and Salome.

On select Saturday afternoons in the summer, the historic Mount Wilson Observatory screens a decades-spanning lineup of sci-fi and astronomy-inspired shorts and feature-length films. Unlike the San Gabriel Mountains site’s concert series and stargazing sessions, Matinees on the Mountain won’t take place inside the dome of the 100-inch telescope. Instead, screenings will take place inside the 256-seat auditorium inside the astronomical museum, the same venue used for the site’s Talks & Telescopes lectures.

House music hits the Queen Mary waterfront during this two-day fest from Insomniac. This year’s event, which features two main stages, features headliners Andruss, Biscits, Classmatic, East End Dubs back-to-back with Max Dean, Chris Lorenzo, Cole Knight, Eli Brown, a sunset set by Anfisa Letyago and many more.

Run (or walk) around Griffith Park for a good cause this Saturday during Union Rescue Mission’s 5K, which raises funds for programs, shelters, meals and long-term recovery services for the over 75,000 people in Los Angeles experiencing homelessness. Registering gets you a T-shirt, participation medal and (for an extra $15) a taco-truck lunch. Lace up your sneakers and meet at Shane’s Inspiration playground (4800 Crystal Springs Dr).

This interactive performance series constitutes a literary cathouse, with an all-inclusive cast providing a “night of holy queer decadence” and pleasure this Pride Month. Enjoy live poetry from queer poets, music, appetizers and themed cocktails. You can upgrade your experience with tokens that will give you access to private poetry readings behind closed curtains, where you might hear dirty sonnets or whispered secrets. Costumes, cocktail attire or themed eveningwear that channels your inner siren is encouraged. A portion of all ticket sales will go to the Sex Workers Outreach Project Los Angeles.

This is not a drill: The World Cup is indeed coming to Los Angeles next summer—we’re one of 16 cities that will host games. In the meantime, though, the Club World Cup is taking place this summer, where 32 of the world’s top club teams compete, rather than national teams. The Rose Bowl is hosting six of these matches, where teams hailing from Paris, Milan, Madrid, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Japan will go head-to-head.

Want to peer through the eyepiece of Mt. Wilson’s historic telescopes? Your best and most economical bet just might be one of the Talks & Telescopes events. These monthly Saturday-night astronomy lectures are followed up with a few hours of stargazing on portable telescopes on the grounds as well as the 60 and 100-inch telescopes for only $50 (a fraction of the price of the observatory’s late-night stargazing sessions).

Expand your mind on breezy summer nights by listening to the words of the Bard for free. The program, founded in 1998, will put on two plays—As You Like It and Julius Caesar—with the help of talented local actors. “By the Sea” is a bit misleading; though some of the locations are ocean-adjacent, and largely in the South Bay and Long Beach, the troupe takes the plays on tour all across Los Angeles, performing for audiences from Downtown to Beverly Hills to Altadena’s Loma Alta Park, which was recently restored post–Eaton Fire.

If you really want to immerse yourself in local theater, you can’t miss the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Since 2010, this fest has specialized in productions from emerging writers and performers, and it now boasts hundreds of different shows—most are around $15 a ticket or less, and some cost absolutely nothing. Expect one-person shows, new musicals, comedies and edgy dramas to descend on Hollywood once again from June 12 through 29. See the full list of shows here.

Pick up some items at an open-air market and grab a bite to eat before the outdoor movie screenings commence at this monthly summertime series in front of the Queen Mary.

Hilltop sunset views and rising bands combine to make this Getty tradition a worthy destination for Angelenos on both sides of the 405. This year’s lineup of free Saturday-night shows includes Mabe Fratti (June 14), Madi Diaz (July 12), Empress Of (July 26) and Emile Mosseri (Aug 23). Tip: Avoid the traffic and the crowds and arrive early, preferably after 3pm when the parking price drops to $15 (though it’s actually free if you wait until the show starts, after 6pm). You’ll get to visit the exhibits, which stay open until 8pm on Saturdays, and beat the dinner rush.

Now one of L.A.’s most treasured summer traditions, Barnsdall Park’s wine tastings regularly attract sell-out crowds. Perched atop Olive Hill on the west lawn of the historic Hollyhock House (which you can tour during the evening for an additional $36), the Barnsdall Friday fund raisers include fine selections of boutique wines provided by Silverlake Wine with a spectacular sunset and 360-degree views of the city. Bring along a blanket and a picnic basket, or just nosh on the variety of food trucks parked up there. Though there used to be lots of kids running around, the event lawn is now 21-and-up—perfect for a date night. Proceeds support the park’s art programs and historic renovations.

For more than 50 years, this venue has drawn theatre aficionados to its storied, open-air stage for engaging productions in a magical setting. The 299-seat amphitheater in Topanga Canyon hosts audiences of all ages for plays from a wide range of genres, from Shakespearean classics to folk tales. This season, whose theme is “A Season of Resilience,” catch highlights such as William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as a Malibu-themed retelling of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull and Strife by Nobel Prize-winning writer and activist John Galsworthy.

One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its three-decade run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light) throughout the summer.

Treat your ears to a vibrant concert on a spring or summer night this year by attending MUSE/IQUE’s annual program. This monthly series of performances, held at cultural venues across L.A., features a mix of performances inspired by music movements and public figures, including tributes to Ray Charles, immigrant film composers, the Memphis sound, Etta James and more. The best way to attend is to become a MUSE/IQUE member; you could make a $75 donation to the performing arts nonprofit for a single event (with the exception of September’s free open house), but if you’re interested in more than just one, it’s cheaper per event to become a full-fledged member.

For dinner and a movie, all in one, just follow the food trucks. During the spring, summer and fall, Street Food Cinema throws together a series of outdoor parties that include screenings of some of our favorite movies, paired with an assortment of gourmet food trucks and even a live music performance from a cool local band. The screenings are held in venues across L.A. into October and alternate from week to week, so make sure to check the schedule. Some of the outdoor venues are dog-friendly, allowing you to bring your four-legged cinema lover along.

The Boy Who Lived lives on in a wizardly spectacle with truly spellbinding special effects. As though it had cast a Shrinking Charm on itself, the formerly two-part epic is now a single show, albeit a long one—and one that our New York critic awarded five stars.

After popping up at D23 and Long Beach shopping center 2nd & PCH, themed mini-golf experience Pixar Putt has landed at its most logical home: the Pixar Place Hotel, close to California Adventure and its Pixar Pier. Putt your way through 18 themed holes and step into the stories of Pixar favorites including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug’s Life, Wall-E and Inside Out.

Culver City’s staircase-dominated plaza screens free, family-friendly flicks on Fridays in June. Complimentary popcorn will be provided while supplies last. Each screening starts at sunset.

The Broad’s upcoming special exhibition makes its way to Downtown L.A. from the 2024 Venice Biennale, where Jeffrey Gibson became the first Indigenous artist to represent the United States with a solo exhibition. Known for his signature use of geometric patterns, patterned text, vibrant color, glass beads and found objects, the Colorado-born artist explores his Indigenous identity and pays tribute to histories of resistance in thought-provoking and optimistic ways. The first-floor galleries will be transformed into a kaleidoscopic environment with 10 paintings, seven sculptures, eight flags, three murals and one video installation by Gibson. Expect an accompanying slate of performances, talks and workshops.

The Skirball’s latest pop culture exhibition takes a deep dive into the six-decade career of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. You might know him as the co-creator of Captain America, Black Panther, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and some of the Marvel universe’s most cosmic characters. But did you know he was also a first-generation Jewish American born to immigrant parents, World War II veteran and family man who split his time between New York and Los Angeles? Learn about his life and see Kirby’s original comic illustrations, as well as other works—many on view for the first time.

The California Science Center is inviting kids to get in the game with a new 17,000-square-foot exhibition about the power of play and the human body in motion. Besides teaching about the science behind sports, it also offers interactive challenges and video coaching from a team of Los Angeles-based mentor athletes including dancer Debbie Allen, the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, Olympic medalist softball player Rachel Garcia and more. For the first time ever, the center has commissioned public art—all by local artists—to complement the exhibition, including a Dodgers mural by Gustavo Zermeño Jr. The free exhibition kicks off May 15 and will remain at the Science Center at least through the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Watch a slate of classics from the past couple of decades on one of the prettiest rooftops—now called Oasis—in Hollywood at this outdoor screenings series. All movies are piped in over sets of provided wireless headphones. Before showtime, make sure to hit up the bar or the on-site kitchen.

Sure, you’ve seen the archival television clips of the Beatles’ famous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, but what about firsthand, long-lost photographs from that same time shot by one of the band members? This spring, Beverly Hills gallery Gagosian displays 36 recently rediscovered photographs of the Beatles, all captured by Paul McCartney. A mix of black-and-white and color prints, the McCartney photos were shot during peak of Beatlemania, from December 1963 to February 1964. Expect to see a mix of self-portraits of Paul and candid shots of John, George and Ringo—as well as hysterical fans waiting outside the windows of the band’s car.

Right on the heels of the release of his new film, Mickey 17, director Bong Joon Ho steps into the spotlight at the Academy Museum’s new exhibition. The first-ever museum show dedicated to the Oscar-winning South Korean filmmaker will trace Ho’s career, creative process and cinematic influences. See over 100 storyboards, posters, concept art, creature models, props and on-set photos from the director’s archive and personal collection. On Sundays, the museum’s on-site restaurant, Fanny’s, is offering an accompanying Korean Sunday Supper series with dishes like bibimbap and galbi jjim. You can reserve a spot here.

Nature lovers, rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open through August 24 and be home to up to 30 butterfly and moth species, as well as an assortment of California plants. The seasonal outdoor exhibit allows for adults and children alike to witness nature up close—we’re talking walking amid hundreds of butterflies and having them land on your arms or shoulders. Tip: The prime time for these unique butterfly flight experiences is typically between 10am and 11am each morning.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House—centerpiece of Barnsdall Art Park and Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site—just might be the most stunning backdrop for an art exhibition. And, in this case, the home is the subject itself, too. L.A.-based photographer Ireland captured the intricate details of the Hollyhock House in 21 photographs on display throughout the onetime residence.

See over 50 garments from Diane von Furstenberg, best known for her iconic wrap dress, during this career-spanning exhibition at the Skirball. Alongside artwork and fabric swatches, the show will also focus on her philanthropic work as well as how her life was shaped as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

On the 50th anniversary of the Norton Simon Museum, look back to when Simon took over management of the Pasadena Art Museum in 1975, then ahead to the museum’s exciting future at this retrospective exhibition. See rare photos from the museum’s archives, and learn about the history of its major acquisitions, exhibitions, building and gardens—which are currently undergoing a transformation.

“Color in Motion” features close to 150 objects—pieces of technology, costumes, props and film posters—from the 1890s to today. Broken up into six themes, the exhibition looks at the connection between color, music and movement, like in early dance and animated shorts; decades of color technologies, from Technicolor processes and Disney’s women-led Ink & Paint Department to contemporary digital tools; monochrome silent films; the narrative role of color; and experimental works. The final gallery in the show is dubbed the Color Arcade, an interactive, neon-hued space that includes a corridor inspired by the trippy stargate from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This spectacular exhibition from the Icelandic-Danish artist brings a new series of optical installations to MOCA’s Little Tokyo location. Don’t let the reflective, colorful pieces fool you into thinking this is some run-of-the-mill “immersive” exhibition: Olafur Eliasson’s works invite you to admire the everyday miracles of physics that shape how we see the world. 

The Natural History Museum’s taxidermy dioramas turn a century old this year, and to celebrate the museum is reviving an entire hall of displays that’ve been dark for decades. Expect some fresh approaches to these assembled snapshots of the wilderness, including alebrijes made of recycled materials, a crystalline depiction of pollution and a tech-driven display of the L.A. River.

Study the technical and cultural background of colorful clay vessels, textiles, bark-paper pages and sculptures in the Indigenous Americas—and how their significance has been downplayed among colonialist histories—at this LACMA exhibition. 

More than 50 works on display at the Autry showcase how Indigenous artists have crafted visions of alternative futures in the face of enduring colonial trauma, with surreal spacescapes from Wendy Red Star, pop culture commentaries by Andy Everson and a site-specific space odyssey created by Virgil Ortiz.