Friday
Summer concert season is now in full swing, starting with tonight's kickoff of Jazz at LACMA. Take a seat in the museum's beloved entrance plaza for this free, open-air concert series; tonight's headliner is local big band ensemble the Phil Norman Tentet.
If you're in more of a dancing mood, head to the Music Center for the first night of Dance Downtown. This free, joyous mashup of live music and dance lessons runs all summer long, starting with tonight's salsa session.
Feeling brave? Like being mock-kidnapped brave? Then you, brave reader, should head to Griffith Park's Old Zoo on Friday night for the Great Horror Campout. Spend the night in a tent and face being—in the words of this sunny disclaimer—forcibly handled, moved, bound, hooded, chained and subjected to simulated torture by actors.
Saturday
Head to the Annenberg Space for Photography on Saturday morning for the opening of their latest exhibition, Emerging. More than 90 up-and-coming photographers are taking over the walls of the Century City museum with unfamiliar names but jaw-dropping images.
Over on the Eastside, pedal your way to lunch during the Design-n-Dim Sum Bike Tour. Part of the Los Angeles Design Festival, this deLaB-led ride explores some of LA's most creative studios and businesses with stops at the new Women’s Center for Creative Work, Clockshop and Good Eggs before finishing up in Chinatown for dim sum at the Golden Dragon restaurant.
Follow the Arroyo Seco back up for the annual Make Music Pasadena. Explore the city and see free sets from Sir Sly, Caroline Smith, How to Dress Well and more at this Pasadena-wide festival. Here are five musicians we can't wait to see.
Coinciding with the fest, KCRW kicks off its Summer Nights series tonight at One Colorado. LA's own De Lux leads this free, all ages show; KCRW's own DJ Dan Wilcox will be spinning his own mix as well.
Sunday
LACMA's a pro when it comes to moving large desert objects—levitated masses, if you will—into its gallery spaces. Its latest such, Noah Purifoy: Junk Dada, opens today with works from the artist's Outdoor Sculpture Museum in Joshua Tree, a public shrine made from discarded materials.
Refuel after that museum shuffle with a stop at Grand Central Market for the decidedly pro-gluten Los Angeles Bread Festival. Bask in the glorious smell of carbs as GCM's vendors serve up special bread dishes amid demos, workshops and panel discussions.
On the other side of Downtown, score custom artwork and decorative objects at Parachute Market. This biannual art gallery-turned-design fair brings together local art collectives and galleries who've been tasked with a common theme; this time around, it's "Ad Hoc" and the exploration of temporary works.
Cat lovers, rejoice: CatCon LA is here. The feline-obsessed fest is hitting the Reef for two days of panels, merch and meet-and-greets. Show up on Sunday to see Lil Bub's Big Show, featuring the permakitten and her owner Mike Bridavsky, as well as Jack McBrayer; if you swing by on Saturday make sure to see "Simon's Cat" creator Simon Tofield. For all you dog people, may we offer the Road to Puppy Bowl adoption drive in Van Nuys as an alternative.
Wrap up your weekend at the Chinese Theatre for a special Cinespia-presented double feature of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Tickets are a bit pricier than your average Cinespia screening, but they include membership to the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation (to which ticket proceeds from this screening benefit).
Find more things to do this weekend by clicking each day or by heading over to our weekend calendar.