April 2020 events calendar for Los Angeles
Plan your month with our April 2020 events calendar of the best activities, including free things to do, festivals and our favorite concerts
T.S. Eliot may have believed April is the cruelest month, but Angelenos have plenty of reasons to sing its praises: Concerts and festivals in L.A. kick into high gear this month as the weather warms up. A beer fest at L.A. Center Studios, cycling the city streets and our favorite music festival in the desert all have a place in our April events calendar, much-needed rain showers be damned.
RECOMMENDED: Full events calendar for 2019 and 2020
See more events in our full calendar
Smorgasburg LA
Indulge your inner foodie and shopaholic at this weekly food-focused market. The Brooklyn export has landed in the Arts District and become a hotbed of fantastic food and retail vendors, with some that are testing out their dishes before launching a full-blown brick-and-mortar in the city. Bonus: there is plentiful (and free, for two hours!) parking in the nearby parking garage.
Talking with Songwriters
Class is in session, and L.A. singer-songwriter Ramona Gonzalez is the teacher. Gonzalez is currently teaching an undergraduate songwriting class at Occidental College, and she’s sharing her knowledge outside of enrolled students with a series of free conversations about the creative process with Asa Taccone (Electric Guest), Ariel Pink, Cole M. Greif-Neill and Julia Holter. You’ll find each talk in Booth Hall, Room 204 on the college’s Eagle Rock campus.
Live Talks Los Angeles
L.A.’s star-studded lecture series has outdone itself this season with a lineup of writers, artists, performers, scientists and business leaders, who, for as little as $20 per Live Talk, will graciously blow your mind. Venues around the city will host guest speakers to tickle a variety of Angeleno brains—from those interested in technology to those who fancy literature. Check the Live Talks website for individual event details, and snag your tickets before word spreads.
Festival of Books, Stories and Ideas
New name, same beloved literary event: Bibliophiles flock to the USC campus each spring for this L.A. Times-curated event, which has now added “Stories & Ideas” onto its bookish title. The outdoor book fair features stalls from a variety of booksellers as well as author readings, signings and culinary demos. The sheer variety and quality of talent the festival attracts is impressive and legendary.
Power to the People!
It’s been a mainstay of protest signs, songs and chants, but this spring the “power to the people” refrain will fill the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock are bringing together musicians, artists and activists for a series of shows between March 5 and April 11 that celebrate solidarity and humanitarian spirit. Programs include sets from Dudamel and the LA Phil, Hancock and Patti Smith, a talk from Dr. Angela Davis about social change, the movie music of Spike Lee and his go-to composer Terence Blanchard and more.
“With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985”
See colorful, abstract and pattern-driven works of painting, sculpture, collage, ceramics, installation art and performance documentation in this survey of the Pattern and Decoration movement, which defiantly embraced forms typically held to be inferior to “fine art.”
Nicolas Party: Sottobosco
The fast-rising New York-via-Switzerland artist has transformed Hauser & Wirth’s stark white south gallery into a pastel wonderland of boldly hued landscapes, portraits and still lifes in his L.A. solo debut. Party has erased the built-in architecture of the gallery by repainting walls, constructing slender doorways and applying finishes that mimic natural materials. They all tie into a central idea, the concept of sottobosco, a Dutch movement that borrows the Italian word for “undergrowth.” The exhibition runs concurrently with blacklit, mid-century spatial environments from Italian artist Lucio Fontana and August Sander photographers that were part of the first gay and lesbian journals ever published.
Pearl Jam
The steadiest and sturdiest of the great Seattle grunge titans—the only one that hasn't lost a key member or taken an extended hiatus—rumbles into town for two stadium gigs. Expect to hear raucous newer tunes (the band is releasing a new album, Gigaton) as well as selections spanning a vast catalog that’s far more compelling than the band’s vocal haters would care to admit.
First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
If you’re sick of First Fridays only offering a high density of food trucks and lines at your favorite dive bars, check out something new—err, old rather—at the Natural History Museum, where First Fridays offer dinosaurs and DJs. The first Friday of every month from February through June plays host to a KCRW-presented evening of music, allowing visitors of all ages to stay late for a night at the museum. Each month offers a different lineup of musical guests and DJs, guided museum tours, and scientist-led talks. Check out the museum’s website for advance tickets and updates on info.
Kaytranada
Montreal producer Kaytranada has risen to prominence over the past few years via an unrelenting series of slam-dunk remixes of tracks by everyone from Janet Jackson to Azealia Banks. His woozy, electronic take on R&B—spliced with samples, spacey electronica and chunky beats—is almost absurdly on-point, so this should be a fine show.
Live Talks Los Angeles
L.A.’s star-studded lecture series has outdone itself this season with a lineup of writers, artists, performers, scientists and business leaders, who, for as little as $20 per Live Talk, will graciously blow your mind. Venues around the city will host guest speakers to tickle a variety of Angeleno brains—from those interested in technology to those who fancy literature. Check the Live Talks website for individual event details, and snag your tickets before word spreads.
Power to the People!
It’s been a mainstay of protest signs, songs and chants, but this spring the “power to the people” refrain will fill the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock are bringing together musicians, artists and activists for a series of shows between March 5 and April 11 that celebrate solidarity and humanitarian spirit. Programs include sets from Dudamel and the LA Phil, Hancock and Patti Smith, a talk from Dr. Angela Davis about social change, the movie music of Spike Lee and his go-to composer Terence Blanchard and more.
Pearl Jam
The steadiest and sturdiest of the great Seattle grunge titans—the only one that hasn't lost a key member or taken an extended hiatus—rumbles into town for two stadium gigs. Expect to hear raucous newer tunes (the band is releasing a new album, Gigaton) as well as selections spanning a vast catalog that’s far more compelling than the band’s vocal haters would care to admit.
First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
If you’re sick of First Fridays only offering a high density of food trucks and lines at your favorite dive bars, check out something new—err, old rather—at the Natural History Museum, where First Fridays offer dinosaurs and DJs. The first Friday of every month from February through June plays host to a KCRW-presented evening of music, allowing visitors of all ages to stay late for a night at the museum. Each month offers a different lineup of musical guests and DJs, guided museum tours, and scientist-led talks. Check out the museum’s website for advance tickets and updates on info.
Kaytranada
Montreal producer Kaytranada has risen to prominence over the past few years via an unrelenting series of slam-dunk remixes of tracks by everyone from Janet Jackson to Azealia Banks. His woozy, electronic take on R&B—spliced with samples, spacey electronica and chunky beats—is almost absurdly on-point, so this should be a fine show.
Wilco
More than two decades in, Wilco sounds just as magnetic and Jeff Tweedy’s lyrics just as sweet and sharp as they’ve ever been. The Chicago group has shuffled its lineup and sound over the years, mostly ditching its alt country roots for detours into noise rock and jam band territory—or, on its latest record Ode to Joy, more quiet meditations. Live, you can expect to see the incredibly tight band alternate between krautrock grooves and Lynyrd Skynyrd-like guitar attacks.
Billie Eilish
The pop wunderkind behind kinda-dark chart hits “When the Party’s Over” and “Come Out and Play” galvanizes her rise with a duo of dates at the Forum.
Celine Dion
After eight years in Las Vegas, Celine Dion is hitting the road for her first U.S. tour in over a decade, including a stop at the Staples Center. If an intimate reveal in L.A. is anything to go by, boy are you in for a show, one filled with that legendary set of pipes, wonderfully all-over-the-place banter, new songs from her forthcoming album Courage and familiar favorites—you better believe you’ll hear “My Heart Will Go On.”
Beachlife Festival
This surf-inflected music fest will once again take over the Redondo Beach coastline for three days, with a laid-back lineup that includes the likes of the Steve Miller Band, Counting Crows, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, G. Love & Special Sauce, Sublime with Rome and a Bob Marley celebration featuring Ziggy and Stephen Marley.
Stagecoach Festival
Strap on your cowboy hat and make the pilgrimage to country music’s biggest jamboree, taking up residence at Coachella’s digs, the Empire Polo Club. Stagecoach is coming back for a three-day fest; expect the usual mix of contemporary and classic country.
Smorgasburg LA
Indulge your inner foodie and shopaholic at this weekly food-focused market. The Brooklyn export has landed in the Arts District and become a hotbed of fantastic food and retail vendors, with some that are testing out their dishes before launching a full-blown brick-and-mortar in the city. Bonus: there is plentiful (and free, for two hours!) parking in the nearby parking garage.
Talking with Songwriters
Class is in session, and L.A. singer-songwriter Ramona Gonzalez is the teacher. Gonzalez is currently teaching an undergraduate songwriting class at Occidental College, and she’s sharing her knowledge outside of enrolled students with a series of free conversations about the creative process with Asa Taccone (Electric Guest), Ariel Pink, Cole M. Greif-Neill and Julia Holter. You’ll find each talk in Booth Hall, Room 204 on the college’s Eagle Rock campus.
Festival of Books, Stories and Ideas
New name, same beloved literary event: Bibliophiles flock to the USC campus each spring for this L.A. Times-curated event, which has now added “Stories & Ideas” onto its bookish title. The outdoor book fair features stalls from a variety of booksellers as well as author readings, signings and culinary demos. The sheer variety and quality of talent the festival attracts is impressive and legendary.
“With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985”
See colorful, abstract and pattern-driven works of painting, sculpture, collage, ceramics, installation art and performance documentation in this survey of the Pattern and Decoration movement, which defiantly embraced forms typically held to be inferior to “fine art.”
Nicolas Party: Sottobosco
The fast-rising New York-via-Switzerland artist has transformed Hauser & Wirth’s stark white south gallery into a pastel wonderland of boldly hued landscapes, portraits and still lifes in his L.A. solo debut. Party has erased the built-in architecture of the gallery by repainting walls, constructing slender doorways and applying finishes that mimic natural materials. They all tie into a central idea, the concept of sottobosco, a Dutch movement that borrows the Italian word for “undergrowth.” The exhibition runs concurrently with blacklit, mid-century spatial environments from Italian artist Lucio Fontana and August Sander photographers that were part of the first gay and lesbian journals ever published.
Earth Day LA
Celebrate Earth Day at Grand Park, the Music Center and DWP with green living demos and activities. Tour Grand Park’s sustainable landscaping, demo electric vehicles, drop off e-waste and learn how to compost.
Our L.A. Voices: Spring Arts Festival
Celebrate the diversity of L.A.’s artists during the return of Grand Park’s Our L.A. Voices. The free two-day event includes a mix of performance and visual arts, including plays, live music and workshops.
All of Them Witches
Hollywood’s Jeffrey Deitch gallery has organized an exhibition of artists and works that it’s dubbed as “witchy”—as they put it, using the iconography of the supernatural, occult and witchcraft to channel ideas about power, the body and gender.
Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins
Travel a few millennia back in time to see jewelry, sculptures and cuneiform writing from the ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, dated from the first Mesopotamian cities in about 3200 B.C. to Alexander the Great’s conquest of Babylon in 331 B.C.
Vanity Fair: Hollywood Calling
Just in time for Oscar weekend, the Annenberg is looking back at four decades of Vanity Fair’s celebrity portraits, including shots from every edition of the Hollywood issue as well as the annual Oscar night party.
Rooftop Cinema Club
The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Hollywood and Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own blanket or camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair, as well as blankets on request for the ultimate cozy experience. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. This year’s first slate of screenings includes a Women’s History Month celebration in March, a Love & Basketball screening on May 1 that includes a donation to Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Foundation, a prom-themed night on May 2 (for screenings of Napoleon Dynamite and Juno), monthly hip-hop nights on Saturdays and LEVEL, a vote-for-your-favorite Tarantino film screening on March 27 and a couple of J-Lo–themed nights.