Friday
Looking for an excuse to skip work on Friday? Head to Anaheim at 6am with thousands of other theme park fanatics for Disneyland's 60th anniversary kickoff. The park is marking its diamond anniversary with three new nighttime shows, blinged out decorations and, starting this morning, a sure-to-be-mobbed 24-hour-day.
One of LA's most treasured summer traditions kicks off Friday evening on the west lawn of historic Hollyhock House. Bring along a blanket and a picnic basket to Friday Night Wine Tastings and sip on glasses from Silver Lake Wine over 360-degree sunset views.
If you're looking to add some shopping and bouncy castles to your outdoor drinking, then head to Griffith Park instead for the launch of Odd Nights at the Autry. This monthly night market pulls together everything imaginable—beer gardens, live music, over 200 artisan vendors—and then some (i.e. horse parking; yes, horse parking).
Saturday
Apparate over to the Aero Theatre on Saturday for ten hours on how to properly pronounce wingardium leviosa and expecto patronum. That's right, the Santa Monica movie theater is screening a Harry Potter marathon, with the first four films this afternoon and the rest on Sunday.
Make your way into K-town for a Filipino-inspired feast at a Korean hot pot joint—emphasis on "joint" here since we're talking about Roy Choi's POT. The space is being taken over for the weekend by the Food & Sh*t pop-up, a project from a duo of roaming Seattleites that's bringing food, drinks and music along with it.
If you're not all Harry Potter'ed out, roll out a blanket for an outdoor movie screening. Here's a quick look at tonight's schedule: Cinespia is screening Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Eat | See | Hear is showing Almost Famous and Street Food Cinema is... also screening Almost Famous as well as 500 Days of Summer.
Sunday
Eat your way around Santa Monica's Main Street on Sunday afternoon during its annual MAINopoly feast. The event transforms the neighborhood into a giant culinary focused take on Monopoly: attendees are allotted special "MAINopoly dollars" to be exchanged for food tastings up and down the street.
Take a plunge into the pool at SkyBar for the summer's first installment of Rhondesia. This pool party from the founders of A Club Called Rhonda couples that party's anything goes atmosphere with "big heat, thick beats and the softest sheets." Alright then.
Nothing says "USA" like wholesome American boobs. At least, that's our interpretation of Sunday night's edition of Sultry Sweet Burlesque, dubbed "Red White & Boobs: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Troops." Expect the same mix of tapas and toplessness at the El Cid dinner show, just with a bit more 'Murica thrown into the mix.
Monday
If you're not braving the beaches or embarking on a road trip on Memorial Day, make your way to Topanga Canyon for the annual Topanga Days Country Fair. Bohemian locals and curious onlookers converge to celebrate music, food, arts and Mother Earth; Monday morning's festivities include a parade along Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
Farther down the coast, Hermosa Beach hosts its biannual Fiesta Hermosa. Strip down to your skivvies and roam the 400-plus stalls at this waterfront street fair.
If, like us, you're avoiding beach traffic at all costs, consider an afternoon spent inland instead. Hotel Figueroa hosts the bass-heavy Wavey Pool Party, a collaboration between local fashion brand the Well and Steve Aoki-founded music label Dim Mak. Come for the meet-up of fashion trendsetters and music mavens, stay for the taco bar and $5 PBRs.
Want more ideas for Memorial Day weekend? Here are 14 things to do over the holiday weekend, 8 Memorial Day weekend sales you shouldn't miss, places around LA to throw a bonfire, and if you just need to get outta LA, 7 roadtrip destination ideas.
Find more things to do this weekend by clicking each day or by heading over to our weekend calendar.