You've planned a day at one of L.A.'s best beaches and finalized the rest of your summer plans, but there are far more free things to do in August. From an avocado fest to summer concerts wrap-ups, these are the best ways to make the most of your month without breaking into your wallet.
Aug 3, 17, 31
Silver Lake Picture Show; Sunset Triangle Plaza
Catch free film screenings at Silver Lake's pedestrian plaza, including District 9, Space Jam and 10 Things I Hate About You this month.
Aug 5, 6
Avocado Festival; Angel City Brewery
Celebrate Southern California's green staple with avocado-flavored popsicles, beers and more.
Aug 5, 12, 19
Pershing Square Downtown Stage; Pershing Square
Close out the free Downtown concert series with sets from Toad the Wed Sprocket, the B-52s, X and more.
July 29–Aug 6
U.S. Open of Surfing; Huntington Beach
Hit the beach to cheer on the country's biggest pro surfers at this annual competition.
Aug 11, 25
Summer Nights in the Garden; Natural History Museum
Spend an evening outside with live music, garden-inspired cocktails, hands-on science projects, botanical tours and food trucks.
Aug 12
Yo La Tengo; Burton Chace Park
Catch the beloved indie rock trio perform a free show in Marina del Rey.
Through Aug 13
Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield; Annenberg Space for Photography
Take a visual tour of materialism, celebrity culture and social status over the past 25 years.
Aug 13
CicLAvia: San Pedro Meets Wilmington; Various locations
Pedal your way from San Pedro to Wilmington during the bike-friendly fest.
Through Aug 13
American Horror Story: The Style of Scare; Paley Center for Media
Get creeped out with a visually stunning assortment of costumes, set pieces and props from every season of the chilling anthology series.
Through Aug 17
Twilight Concerts; Santa Monica Pier
Hear free tunes by the beach, with a closing night set from Warpaint.
Aug 17–20
Echo Park Rising; Various locations
Celebrate the Eastside's music scene with three days of free shows all over Echo Park.
Through Aug 18
Shakespeare by the Sea; Various locations
Enjoy one of the many free performances of The Taming of the Shrew or Macbeth, put on by Shakespeare by the Sea throughout summer.
Aug 19-27
Nisei Week Japanese Festival; JACCC
Celebrate Japanese culture with displays of martial arts, tea ceremonies, flower arranging and more.
Aug 20, Sept 9
Tiny Porch Concerts at Peter Strauss Ranch; Peter Strauss Ranch
See soulful country-folk acts perform in a stone amphitheater nestled deep in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Aug 26
Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship; JACCC
Test your love of dumplings at this epic showdown, where competitive eaters devour as many gyoza as possible in 10 minutes.
Aug 26
Off the 405; Getty Center
Enjoy a free outdoor concert from Savoy Motel and evening views of the city at this summertime series.
Through Aug 31
Sunset Concerts at the Skirball; Skirball Cultural Center
Grab a seat in the Skirball's courtyard for the kickoff of this free concert series, starting with Sean Watkins.
Through Sept 3
Free Shakespeare in Griffith Park; Old Zoo
Take in Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, while enjoying the great outdoors.
Through Sept 17
Paul McCarthy + Takesada Matsutani + Monika Sosnowska; Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles
Catch a trio of contemporary art exhibitions this summer at the Arts District gallery.
Ongoing
Free concerts; Various locations
Listen to some tunes without breaking the bank with free shows at the Echo, the Satellite, Grand Park and more.
Ongoing
Free museum days; Various locations
Make the most of free days at LACMA, the Natural History Museum and more, plus always-free museums like the Hammer, Getty and Broad.
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