December 2024 events calendar for Los Angeles

Each year, the botanical garden’s nighttime experience masterfully mixes hands-on art installations with atmospheric, luminescent forests, all against a background of uplit trees and shimmery sound effects. This year’s event, which runs from November 17 through January 5, adds in garden’s new model railroad, which will be all lit of for the season.

Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Los Tigres del Norte, Banda MS, Juanes and Carlos Vives top this Latin music fest at Dodger Stadium.

Pedal along five miles of Sherman Way through Canoga Park, Winnetka and Reseda during CicLAvia’s final car-free, bike-friendly event of the year.

Forget Dorothy and her ruby slippers—head to Oz for the story of Elphaba and Glinda. Follow the Wicked cast down a different yellow brick road for a beautiful tale of friendship, love and courage. The ever “Popular” show returns to the Pantages to expose the back story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. You don’t even have to paint your skin green, just belt out “Defying Gravity” and “Something Bad” to fit in here. Wicked and its “Wonderful” set will inevitably win over your heart, and change your perspective on Emerald City “For Good.”

Feel as though you’ve escaped to a small-town fishing village during the Marina Del Rey Boat Parade. Bring a blanket and gather around Fisherman’s Village or Burton Chace Park to watch as 70 boats glide through the marina with holiday lights and decorations in competition. Categories include Best Theme, Best Animation, Best Band, Best Lights and more. The festivities begin at 5:55pm with fireworks, and the boat parade starts at 6pm, rain or shine.

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Out of context samples from The Office, horror movie-inspired music videos and the slurping sounds of an Invisalign being removed may not seem like the makings of a pop jugernaut, but L.A. local Billie Eilish has become a free-spirited icon of her generation.

Say what you will about Metallica’s creative output for the past few decades, the pushing-60 thrash metal stalwarts still know how to fill stadiums with propulsive fits of rage. Even if you haven’t kept up with Hetfield and co. in recent years, expect their live sets to still draw heavily from their first four (or five, depending on where you stand on The Black Album) nearly-perfect albums. For this one-off show at the YouTube Theater, they’ll be supporting their All Within My Hands foundation with the band’s fourth annual Helping Hands Concert & Auction.

Drift into the Convention Center for the 10-day L.A. Auto Show with cars that would even make Bond drool. If you’re a car nerd, get behind the wheel to test drive one of the cherry rides (including an outdoor EV track), while celebrities meet and greet at the manufacturer exhibits. With world and North American debuts from a slate of manufacturers, rev up for the machines of the future.

Brooklyn heroes TV on the Radio—for years indie rock’s brainiest “it” band—celebrate the 20th anniversary of the excellent Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes with three intimate shows at the El Rey (some of their first live shows since 2019).

Ring in the New Year with confetti, pyro and 30,000 of your closest friends at Countdown. Marshmello, Zedd, Diplo, Alesso, Galantis, Chris Lake and about 40 other dance acts will invade San Bernardino’s NOS Events Center for this year-end fest.