Free events in LA: The best free things to do in the city

One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its 35-year run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light) throughout the summer. We’re betting it’ll be even more popular than usual this year, with the new David Geffen Galleries in the background.

Hilltop sunset views and rising bands join forces to make this Getty tradition a worthy destination for Angelenos on both sides of the 405. This year’s lineup of free Saturday-night shows includes aja monet (May 30), Hunx and His Punx (June 13), LEENALCHI (July 11), Horse Lords (July 25) and Laurel Halo (Aug 22). Tip: Avoid the traffic and the crowds and arrive early, preferably after 3pm when the parking price drops to $15 (though it’s actually free if you wait until the show starts, after 6pm). You’ll get to visit the exhibits, which stay open until 9pm on Saturdays, and beat the dinner rush.

The multisensory nature of art is explored in this exhibition, which looks at the intertwined relationship between contemporary art and living materials. With its focus on artists’ relationships to the materials they use, “Several Eternities” highlights that commonality and aims to reframe the discussion around artists and race. Twenty-two artists from North, Central and South America have employed mediums like soil, stones, avocado, cacao, achiote, cochineal and clay in their works—the organic matter making it an ambitious exhibition to mount. From the moment you walk in, you can smell the soil, feel a vibrating wall and listen to the many “sonic interventions” throughout the show. The large-scale installations and sculptures—many rooted in Indigenous worldviews—steal the show. The experience ends with a welcome moment to pause: a meditative, black-walled room, with ocean sounds and sand covering the floor.

Every Sunday, you can find dozens of food vendors at this market at ROW DTLA, a Brooklyn import that boasts a mix of much-loved pop-ups and future foodie stars. Thirteen new vendors are joining the lineup this year: Feast on burgers and orange chicken sandwiches from Terrible Burger, Viennese street food from Franzl’s Franks, Neapolitan-meets-Persian pies from Mamani Pizza, plant-based corn dogs from Stick Talk and more. Wash it all down at the family-friendly beer garden. You’ll also find shopping stalls selling everything from framed vintage ads to jewelry made locally with ethically sourced gemstones. Entry and the first two hours of parking are free.

Step back into the era of grunge, supermodels and the dawn of the internet at this free exhibition at the ASU FIDM Museum in DTLA. This retrospective explores the decade’s spirit of rebellion and experimentation, featuring high-fashion couture from icons like Vivienne Westwood and Gianni Versace alongside the flannel shirts, slip dresses and bold prints that defined everyday style. Through a curated mix of garments, vintage magazines and video footage, visitors can trace how 1990s innovation continues to shape contemporary trends.

This show aims to give Black queer culture in California—particularly in Los Angeles—the credit it’s due as a part of the decades-long fight for LGBTQ+ rights and recognition. Through historical materials, photographs, film and vintage newspapers, the exhibition recovers a history that’s been largely excluded from the record, introducing visitors to sites, protagonists and allies who played a role in the fight for democracy and free expression. 

The reopened Getty Villa will descend into the underworld with this exhibition, which looks at the ritual spells and religious writings ancient Egyptians employed to garner favor with Re and Osiris in the afterlife. See the Getty’s collection of rare Book of the Dead hieroglyphics-adorned and illustrated manuscripts, dating back to around 1000 BCE, which were last displayed in 2023. The show should dovetail nicely with the museum’s “Sculpted Portraits From Ancient Egypt,” which runs through January 2027.

Artist Ralph Steadman—known for his unmistakable illustrations, cartoons and collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson—has imbued his work with political, satirical, environmental and spiritual threads throughout his six-decade-plus career. Now, on the eve of his 90th birthday, you can see 149 of Steadman’s works, including some influenced by Los Angeles, for free at the Torrance Art Museum—it’s the only Southern California stop on the show’s national tour. If you’re feeling inspired, you can embark on your own off-the-page adventure, thanks to the exhibition’s accompanying interactive Gonzo Art Trail (find details here).

Billie Eilish isn’t just a pop star, “It” girl and Oscar and Grammy winner—she’s also a perfumer, crafting a handful of fragrances in dramatic bottles that double as art pieces. Want to channel the smell of success? Get a sniff for yourself at this pop-up at Sephora at the Grove on Saturday, where you can take home complimentary samples of Eilish Fragrances—as well as an exclusive poster, while supplies last.

For a few weeks, you can be in the room with the documents from the room where it happened when USC Fisher Museum of Art hosts the National Archives’ “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation.” On view April 17 through May 3, this rare exhibition brings Founding-era treasures (including an 1823 engraving of the Declaration of Independence and a draft of the Constitution) to Los Angeles for America’s 250th anniversary. Free and open to the public, it’s a once-in-a-generation chance to view history up close.

“Let’s hang out at the Pier” is something Santa Monica locals probably say next to never, but this monthly series is trying to change that. Every third Thursday from September to May, you’ll find everything from live music to storytelling to a classic car show on the Santa Monica Pier, all free to attend. 

The Venice Art Walk returns for its 47th year to benefit the Venice Family Clinic with an auction and a free opportunity to glimpse the Venice and wider L.A. art scene. From May 8 to 17, pop into 910 Abbot Kinney to see (and potentially bid on) pieces from Ed Ruscha, Helen Pashgian, Kenny Scharf, Ed Templeton and this year’s signature artist, sculptor Alison Saar.

Nonprofit arts organization the Billboard Creative mounts this annual show around town, which turns the city into an open-air gallery. Billboards around L.A. will sport works by a diverse group of 20 artists working across different mediums, whose art will be seen by hundreds of thousands of commuters. This year’s “Sightlines: Art in Public View” iteration kicks off April 6 and runs through May 4. A mobile map shows you all of the entries’ locations and shares info about each artist. 

This AAPI Heritage Month, celebrate the history and culture of Filipinos in L.A. at the third edition of Baryo HiFi, a free open-air street festival and artisan marketplace held on Beverly Boulevard, between Union Avenue and the Historic Filipinotown arch—the first event of its kind in L.A. You can expect Filipino food, plus a lineup of Filipino DJs, dancers and other live performers. Baryo HiFi will also feature a karaoke competition, dubbed “The Boice.” And check out the curated selection of Filipino American pop-up shops selling candles, plants, apparel, food, sauces and more.

Need a little lunch break relaxation? Log off, grab a bite and head to Colburn Plaza for one of these free concerts by the renowned school’s students, held Tuesdays at noon from April 7 to May 5. The first 50 guests each week will receive a free cup of Groundwork coffee from or tea from Art of Tea at the Colburn Café, courtesy of DTLA Alliance.

The California Science Center is inviting kids to get in the game with a new 17,000-square-foot exhibition about the power of play and the human body in motion. Besides teaching about the science behind sports, it also offers interactive challenges and video coaching from a team of Los Angeles-based mentor athletes including dancer Debbie Allen, the Dodgers’ World Series hero Freddie Freeman, Olympic medalist softball player Rachel Garcia and more. And for the first time ever, the center has commissioned public art—all by local artists—to complement the exhibition, including a Dodgers mural by Gustavo Zermeño Jr. The free exhibition will run at the Science Center through the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Roam the stalls at this Memorial Day arts festival, sample the food and listen to the music—and then take a dip in the nearby Pacific. A few logistical changes for the past few fests have streamlined the layout: You’ll still find on-the-street stalls and sidewalk vendors along Hermosa and Pier Avenues, but there’s now live music at the beach (one of four stages throughout the fest), and there’s a proper carnival inland at Pier and Monterey Boulevard. Meanwhile, there’s a beer and wine garden closer to the beach with its own music lineup—though that charges a $10 cover fee. When is Fiesta Hermosa? This year’s event takes place Saturday through Monday—May 23, 24 and 25, 2026—from 11am to 7pm on the weekend and 11am to 6pm on Monday. You’ll find it along Hermosa and Pier Avenues. Is Fiesta Hermosa free? Yes, though food, drink, games and craft vendors will of course cost you. Also, the Garden, a 21+ area with drinks and music, has a $10 daily cover fee. Is the event dog-friendly? The gated Garden area of the event isn’t dog-friendly (and, as is the case in nearly all of L.A. County, neither is the beach), but you’re welcome to bring a dog with you to the rest of the Fiesta.

The sky above L.A. State Historic Park becomes a gallery made entirely of kites during this family-friendly festival from local arts and culture nonprofit Clockshop. Held in honor of the diverse communities surrounding Los Angeles State Historic Park, this sixth-annual free event features flying demonstrations, art workshops, a large inflatable art sculpture, a cumbia dance lesson and musical performances—plus a contest for the best handmade kite.

In celebration of the late Bob Baker’s legacy, his namesake puppet theater hosts this annual celebration at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The free fest and outdoor carnival features puppet performances throughout the day, plus an assortment of other entertainment, vendors, crafts and family-friendly activities. For the first time this year, there will be a doggie costume contest you can enter your pup into. Though it usually takes place in April, this year’s event has been pushed to September due to rain. Stay tuned for the grand marshal announcement and lineup of special guests.

Explore the history of early Los Angeles life with free admission to five museums in Northeast L.A. and Pasadena. The annual Museums of the Arroyo Day is the perfect opportunity to brush up on historical architecture—the Gamble House, Heritage Square and the Lummis Home—and relics from L.A.’s past—the L.A. Police Museum and Pasadena Museum of History. Note that there’s no shuttle service this year as there has been previously. But if you don’t want to drive, some of the sites are bike- and A Line-friendly. 

West Hollywood celebrates the artistic contributions of the LGBTQ+ community at this annual festival, where queer artists showcase their stories and talents. The precursor to WeHo Pride Weekend takes place over three days chock-full of comedy shows, choir performances, literary readings and art-making workshops at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The event begins with the Harvey Milk Day Kick-Off Event—featuring a drag pageant—on May 22 in West Hollywood Park. The best part? All of the events are free. The full lineup of programming will be announced later in May.

Downtown Burbank shuts down its main thoroughfare to car traffic for this biannual arts festival, curated by indie artisan marketplace Jackalope. Over 170 local hand-selected artisans will fill San Fernando Boulevard from Magnolia Boulevard to Angeleno Avenue. Shop art and photography, one-of-a-kind glass goods and ceramics, original fashion and jewelry, paper items, home decor, tasty treats and more. You’ll also find live music and activities for kids—including free workshops where they can make friendship bracelets and flower picture frames. And unlike some artisan markets, Jackalope offers free admission.

Every spring and fall since 1973, artists have descended upon the Beverly Gardens Park to showcase their work to browsers and buyers at this arts festival (once called the Affaire in the Gardens). This year will feature 250 artists exhibiting paintings, sculptures, watercolors, photography and much more. Set on four blocks along the grassy stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between Rodeo and Rexford Drives, the event will include something for everyone, with free kids’ activities, food trucks, and beer and wine gardens with live music.

Most commencements are nothing more than a formal cap-and-gown sort of situation, but Otis College of Art and Design precedes its ceremony with a fashion show (8–9pm), ceramic sale (5–8pm), an evening of open studios (5–10pm) and art and design work on display in its annual exhibition. See groundbreaking work from graduating BFA and MFA students—for free.

Immerse yourself in the work of the wildly creative students at CalArts during this interdisciplinary gallery show. The campus-wide event features student-curated venues with pieces by hundreds of artists spanning visual art, music and dance performances, film/video, installation art, lighting sculptures, virtual reality and multidisciplinary work.