Various locations in L.A.

The NBA’s leading players, up-and-comers and celebrities—including Keegan-Michael Key, GloRilla, Jeremy Lin, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Simu Liu—will compete against each other during a weekend of challenges, festivities, concerts and youth programs at Kia Forum, Intuit Dome and the Los Angeles Convention Center. NBA Crossover, a fan-centric festival, will be headlined by performances by Ludacris, Shaboozey and CORTIS—all included in the ticket price. Check the NBA website for a full lineup of events.

It may seem a little over-the-top, but there’s no way booking a dinner cruise—on a yacht, with a coastline view—won’t win you points. Get dolled up and take to the water for a romantic meal and cocktails, then dance under the stars to tunes spun by a DJ. If you really want to impress—and have the funds—upgrading to the “Romance Package” will get you champagne with flutes, plus a half-dozen roses. You can set sail from either Marina del Rey (13757 Fiji Way) or Long Beach (Rainbow Harbor, Dock 6A). Daytime brunch cruises are also available.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and NXT Art Foundation have teamed up on this free light and sound experience taking place simultaneously at parks across L.A. County this Valentine’s Day. Meant to amplify love, foster connection and inspire hope, the multi-disciplinary project will feature sound-based works by nine artists, and each site will be lit up by artist-designed sculptural installations. You can be a part of the moment at Barnsdall Art Park, Sycamore Grove Park, Exposition Park, Jane and Bert Boeckmann Park in Porter Ranch, Hansen Dam, Leimert Park, the Wende Museum in Culver City (which is hosting its own concurrent “My Sonic Valentine” event), Tongva Park, Promenade Square Park in Long Beach and Altadena’s renovated Loma Alta Park. Bring a picnic blanket, settle in and enjoy the sounds of harmony.

Got a list of L.A. museums you haven’t visited yet? Clear your calendar for Museums Free-for-All, when museums all over the region throw open the doors for free admission. Nearly 30 museums will drop their admission fees on Sunday, February 22. It’s the perfect opportunity to knock a couple of cultural to-dos off your list, like the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, LACMA, the Autry, the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Craft Contemporary, the Skirball and more. You’ll still have to pay to see any exhibitions that require a special ticket and for parking, but we can’t say no to free admission. Make sure to scope out the full list of participating museums. (We’d suggest skipping any of L.A.’s always-free museums, though, as you can visit those admission-free on any other weekend.)

Scope out dozens food and craft booths while dragon dances, kung fu demonstrations, live candy sculpting and other entertainment play out across a street festival. For those new to celebrating the holiday, the fest’s “cultural passport” experience teaches you how different regions celebrate Lunar New Year. This annual event takes place just on Alhambra’s Main Street and celebrates the diversity of the San Gabriel Valley.

Netflix’s stand-up specials keep us cackling at home, but the streaming service’s ambitious comedy festival is nothing to laugh at. For its second iteration, Netflix is a Joke Fest is headed back here May 4 to 10, 2026, and upping the ante: We’ve counted over 350 shows slated for venues across the city, boasting sets from Ali Wong, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, John Mulaney, Taylor Tomlinson and a reunited Flight of the Conchords, plus literally hundreds of others. This year, the lineup also includes the surprise addition of music (Jelly Roll, Lizzo) and a ton of podcast tapings (The Pete Davidson Show, Giggly Squad, The Viall Files and more). The event is a bit more of a marathon than a traditional festival: There’s not an all-encompassing festival pass, but you can buy individual tickets to shows throughout its run. You’ll find shows staged at venues as big as the Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theatre (absolutely don’t drive and instead take the shuttle to both of those) and as intimate as Dynasty Typewriter and UCB, plus seemingly every major arena, theater and comedy club in between. Keep in mind that for shows at spots that are normally general admission, that means sitting in stiff, tightly packed folding chairs with limited views (the Palladium and ground floor of the Wiltern have particularly poor sightlines)—but the vast majority of venues thankfully have permanent seats. It’s TBD if outdoor event Outside Joke—which in the past was set up in a parking lot behind the...

Get ready: In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympic Games. After initially vying for a bid in 2024, L.A. was awarded the ’28 Games back in 2017.